Česma
Encyclopedia
Česma is a river
in central Croatia
, the left tributary of the river Lonja-Trebež.
It is 124 km (77.1 mi) long, and its catchment area is 2608 km² (1,007 sq mi).
Created by merging stream
s Grđevica and Barna at 45°43′32"N 17°03′01"E near the village of Pavlovac
in the municipality of Veliki Grđevac.
Česma basin is fan-shaped and formed by a number of stream
s rising on the slopes of Bilogora
and Moslavačka gora
hills. Southern sides of Bilogora slightly goes downhill, rugged with numerous ravine
s and gullies
, steeply and deeply cut in. On the sides appears numerous springs
, that in the dry part of the year losing water.
It has a small drop (small difference in altitude between the source and the mouth) which was causing frequent flood
s before the regulation of the riverbed
.
The area around the watercourse
of Česma till a hundred years ago was subject of flooding, which is why it was swamp
y. After that, Česma river and its tributaries
was channelized, embankments
were built for flood protection, and the soil is dried
to obtain arable land
as well as the fight against malaria
.
At the site of former wetland
s now are fish pond
s that supply water from streams that flows into the Česma river. These ponds are one of the last refuge of wading birds
between the Drava
and Sava rivers.
Along Česma river there are several major fish farming
complexes. North of Česma fish pond
— ribnjačastvo Dubrava, and along the southern coast fish ponds — Siščani, Blatnica and Narta. Both complexes are spread at about 5 kilometers along the course Česma river, and environment are similar. They are about 5 kilometers away to each other. The total area covered by commercial fish ponds is 1346 ha (3,326 acre).
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in central Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, the left tributary of the river Lonja-Trebež.
It is 124 km (77.1 mi) long, and its catchment area is 2608 km² (1,007 sq mi).
Created by merging stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s Grđevica and Barna at 45°43′32"N 17°03′01"E near the village of Pavlovac
Pavlovac, Bjelovar-Bilogora County
Pavlovac is a village in the municipality Veliki Grđevac, Bjelovar-Bilogora County in Croatia. According to the 2001 census, there are 679 inhabitants, in 242 of family households....
in the municipality of Veliki Grđevac.
Česma basin is fan-shaped and formed by a number of stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s rising on the slopes of Bilogora
Bilogora
Bilogora is a low mountainous range in central Croatia. It consists of a series of hills and small plains some 80 kilometres in length stretching in the direction northwest-southeast, along the southwest part of the Podravina region...
and Moslavačka gora
Moslavačka gora
Moslavačka gora are a small mountain range located in central Croatia at the borders of Bjelovar-Bilogora County and Sisak–Moslavina County. They belong to the sunken boulder Highlands of palaeogeological origin, rich in mineral resources . The highest peak is Humka at 489 m...
hills. Southern sides of Bilogora slightly goes downhill, rugged with numerous ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s and gullies
Gully
A gully is a landform created by running water, eroding sharply into soil, typically on a hillside. Gullies resemble large ditches or small valleys, but are metres to tens of metres in depth and width...
, steeply and deeply cut in. On the sides appears numerous springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
, that in the dry part of the year losing water.
It has a small drop (small difference in altitude between the source and the mouth) which was causing frequent flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s before the regulation of the riverbed
Stream bed
A stream bed is the channel bottom of a stream, river or creek; the physical confine of the normal water flow. The lateral confines or channel margins, during all but flood stage, are known as the stream banks or river banks. In fact, a flood occurs when a stream overflows its banks and flows onto...
.
The area around the watercourse
Watercourse
A watercourse is any flowing body of water. These include rivers, streams, anabranches, and so forth.-See also:* physical geography* Environmental flow* Waterway* Hydrology* Wadi-External links:...
of Česma till a hundred years ago was subject of flooding, which is why it was swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y. After that, Česma river and its tributaries
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
was channelized, embankments
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
were built for flood protection, and the soil is dried
Drainage system (Agriculture)
An agricultural drainage system is a system by which the water level on or in the soil is controlled to enhance agricultural crop production.-Classification:Figure 1 classifies the various types of drainage systems...
to obtain arable land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
as well as the fight against malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
.
At the site of former wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s now are fish pond
Fish pond
A fish pond, or fishpond, is a controlled pond, artificial lake, or reservoir that is stocked with fish and is used in aquaculture for fish farming, or is used for recreational fishing or for ornamental purposes...
s that supply water from streams that flows into the Česma river. These ponds are one of the last refuge of wading birds
Wader
Waders, called shorebirds in North America , are members of the order Charadriiformes, excluding the more marine web-footed seabird groups. The latter are the skuas , gulls , terns , skimmers , and auks...
between the Drava
Drava
Drava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
and Sava rivers.
Along Česma river there are several major fish farming
Fish farming
Fish farming is the principal form of aquaculture, while other methods may fall under mariculture. Fish farming involves raising fish commercially in tanks or enclosures, usually for food. A facility that releases young fish into the wild for recreational fishing or to supplement a species'...
complexes. North of Česma fish pond
Fish pond
A fish pond, or fishpond, is a controlled pond, artificial lake, or reservoir that is stocked with fish and is used in aquaculture for fish farming, or is used for recreational fishing or for ornamental purposes...
— ribnjačastvo Dubrava, and along the southern coast fish ponds — Siščani, Blatnica and Narta. Both complexes are spread at about 5 kilometers along the course Česma river, and environment are similar. They are about 5 kilometers away to each other. The total area covered by commercial fish ponds is 1346 ha (3,326 acre).