Today we are going to talk about one of the most important rivers in Spain. Its about river Segura. It is located in the southeast of Spain and it is one of the most important hydrographic sources in Europe. Its total extension is 325 kilometers and its basin covers an area of 14.936 square kilometers. Finally, after traveling 4 provinces, its mouth is in the Mediterranean Sea.
In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the Segura River and its characteristics.
Key features
Although it is one of the smallest basins in all of Spain, reference is taken due to its length. It is one of the rivers most used for the benefit of the inhabitants of the areas through which it flows. And it is a reference form of tourist attraction despite the tendency they have due to floods. The morphology of the terrain means that when abundant rainfall falls for a short time, the avenue of the river could cause flooding.
This entire basin mainly has various types of river feeding regimes. On the one hand, we have a tributary at the head and another in most of its extension. Thanks to the fact that the area of its source is quite high, it is allowed to receive meltwater from the Sierra de Segura during the spring season. The waters coming from this thaw are already enough to feed the riverbed.
The rest of the route is of Mediterranean fluvial regime. That is, it is mainly characterized by having a great flood between autumn and winter and a downturn in the spring and summer season. The fact of this descent in the riverbed in the hottest times of the year becomes a cause of concern for the inhabitants who depend on it.
One of the characteristics for which the Segura River stands out is its crystal clear waters. Above all, it is found in the area of the upper part of the beginning of its middle part. In these areas They are completely crystalline waters since they are hardly polluted by any external agent. Little by little they acquire a bluish tone and I make it an earthy green color. This is mainly due to various factors such as the change of terrain and pollution.
The stream reaches its maximum width in the middle section. It is here where it is most used by the nearby areas. One of the areas that most takes advantage of the river Segura is Murcia. However, it is also a point where there is the greatest risk of drought. The average depth is around 70 meters when it is not in the dry season
Climate of the Segura river
In the entire area where the Segura river runs, as well as its fluvial regime, it depends on the zoning. For example, we see that in the header, being at an altitude of 1.413 meters above sea level somewhat colder temperatures are recorded. However, these temperatures on average reach 28 degrees during the hot season. In the cold season of the rest of the year it usually reaches an average of 13 degrees.
As the altitude decreases until reaching the coast, the temperature increases. In the area where it flows there is an annual average of 18 degrees. The coldest months are between December and January, while the warmest months are July and August. Regarding rainfall, the rainfall pattern is greater in the mountainous area. As we reach higher altitudes we have higher precipitation values. In the headland and middle zone we have values of 1.000 mm per year. On the other hand, when we reach the area of the mouth, we see that on average we only have 300 mm annually.
In the coastal areas near its mouth we have an arid zone. Tourism also depends on the weather. The part of the Segura river that has tourist activities with a greater demand are concentrated in the upper and middle part since they are more attractive at a natural level. The fact that the waters have become crystal clear attracts a large number of tourists who go on hiking trails. In addition, they are the areas where it has the highest flow. In the higher areas hiking and mountain biking are practiced. Its source is located in the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. This place is quite in demand during almost all times of the year.
In areas where there is a higher flow you can kayak and raft in the rapids. Being the point of the river with the highest purity in the water, you can bathe in them and there is a tradition of drinking from a source that is the source itself. All the towns that border the river are quite attractive for tourists who want to explore the curiosities of the rural area.
Flora and fauna of the Segura river
Since they were a river that runs through a protected natural environment, it is home to a lot of diversity in terms of flora and fauna. Although it has been diminished due to human populations and environmental impacts, a large population of plant species still exists. It must also be taken into account that human activities such as agriculture cause certain impacts on natural vegetation.
The flora is divided according to the time it is found. Thanks to the variety of climates that we find throughout the riverbed, we have a great variety of flora. They find each other forests of pines, daffodils, geraniums, active and far that are protected given their scarce quantity. One of the plants that attracts the most attention is the carnivorous plant known as Pinguicula Vallisneriifolia.
Before reaching the Murcia area we find some forests full of willows, poplars and elm trees. There is also medium and low vegetation composed of reed beds, reed beds and reed beds. As for the fauna, there are mainly different families distributed between mammals, birds and reptiles in danger of extinction. Among the birds that are in danger of extinction we find the Kingfisher. With regard to fish, there is a great presence of common trout and rainbow trout. However, the latter has reduced the populations of the former.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Segura River and its characteristics.