We bring to your attention a list of the 10 shortest rivers in the world:
1 place. The Reprua River is the smallest river in the world, it is located in Abkhazia, its length is only 18 meters. It is a powerful outlet of an underground karst river, which is fed by water accumulating in deep caves, including the deepest cave in the world, Krubera-Voronya.
As the ancient Abkhazian legend says, Reprua is the tears of the daughters of the underground spirit. The spirit had three daughters and one son, the spirit forged armor and weapons, which made the Abkhaz warriors invincible. After the spirit died, there was no one to make weapons, and the son, along with other soldiers, died in a battle with enemies. Enemy warriors blocked the passage from the three caves in which the sisters lived. Realizing that their brother was dead, the sisters began to cry, and the river Reprua and others flowed from the entrances.
2nd place. The length of the river Kovasselva (Kovasselva) on the island of Hitra (Norway) is an average of 20 meters. The length of a river can vary depending on the tide.
3rd place. The Ombla River in Croatia is only 30 meters long. It flows northeast of the city of Dubrovnik. Despite its small size, the river supplies the city with drinking water. The average annual flow of the river is more than 24 cubic meters per second. There are plans to build a 68 megawatt hydroelectric power station on the river, but the project has its opponents due to the possible danger to the environment.
4th place. D River is located in Oregon. Its length at the most favorable moment for setting a record is 37 meters. However, its real length is 130 m, and it was this figure that was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Until 1989, the Book considered Dee River the smallest river in the world.
5th place. According to the Guinness Book of Records, at the moment the smallest river in the world is the Roe River in Montana. Its length is 61 meters. It is not known why the employees of the Guinness Book of Records still consider it the shortest, because it is obvious that this is not so. Most likely just hands do not reach.
6th place. The Aril River flows in Verona (Italy). Its length is 175 meters, every second discharge is 14 cubic meters per second. This is the smallest river in Italy. It is powered by underground sources. Despite the small length across the Aril, 3 bridges have been built, an oil mill and several mills are also operating.
7th place. The Fiumelatte River in northern Italy flows for a distance of 250 meters, after which it flows into Lake Como. The name consists of two Italian words fiume (river) and latte (milk). Interestingly, in mid-October the river dries up and reappears only in the second half of March. Fiumilatta was mentioned by Leonardo da Vinci himself.
8th place. The Vrelo River (or Godina) is located in Serbia, its length is 365 meters. The second name of the river was not given by chance, because its length coincides with the number of days in a year. The Guinness Book of Records considers it the shortest river in Europe. It has a trout farm and a mill. 3 bridges were built across the river. A small stream ends with a beautiful waterfall that flows into the Drina River.
9th place. River Bain is located in North Yorkshire (England). It is 3.95 km long and is the shortest river in England. Despite its size, a small hydroelectric power plant has been built on the river, which began operation in May 2011. The power of the station is 45 kilowatts, which is enough for 40 houses.
Rivers are amazing and diverse, they can amaze a person with different factors. For example, the presence in its waters of a special type of fish or plants growing along the coast. Some are famous for their gigantic size, they flow for many kilometers, but there are such water arteries, the length of which does not even reach a kilometer. It is about them that will be discussed in this article.
Roe River
In the state of Montana, a small river, the Roe River, flows. She would have remained unknown if, one day in 1988, students at Lincoln Elementary School had not decided to campaign for her promotion to the Guinness Book of Records. Thanks to the efforts of young enthusiasts, the Roe River was awarded in the category of the shortest river in the world. She occupied this place of honor for several years, until a water artery was found, which turned out to be shorter, but about it a little later.
The length of the Rowe River is 61 meters, it flows in the town of Grade Falls and flows into the well-known Missouri. Along the riverbed there is a park area, which is a favorite place for walking among locals and visitors.
The water in the Rowe River is clean and transparent, and the depth of this water artery may surprise you: closer to the mouth, 6-8 meters
Dee River
The Dee River flows through Oregon in the United States. It is slightly shorter than the aforementioned Rowe River, its length is 36 meters, but once it reached 130 meters. It was this figure that was entered in the Guinness Book of Records, and only in 1989 she lost the title of the shortest river in the world. The Dee River runs along the outskirts of Lincoln City. Flowing out of Devil Lake, it tends to the Pacific Ocean.
Lincoln City has become a popular location for the Kinders Keepers Festival. Guests proudly strive to find multi-colored glass balls hidden in the city and nearby areas. Dee River is also a popular place to host them. During this period, a colorful find can be found along the coast.
The Dee River plays an important role connecting Devil Lake and the Pacific Ocean
Ombla
The length of the next small river is only 30 meters. This is the Ombla River, and it is located in Croatia near the city of Dubrovnik. A distinctive feature of this water artery is its rapid flow. In the 20th century, a small dam was built on Ombla, thanks to which the nearby city is supplied with electricity. At the moment, there are disputes about increasing the dam and reconstructing the hydroelectric power station on Ombla. This process has not yet received a positive response, as the river supplies Dubrovnik with drinking water.
They want to spend 110 million euros on the construction of a new dam
Another small water artery flows in Indonesia. Its length does not exceed 20 meters, and its width - 15 meters. Some tourists mistakenly call it a lake because of its size, but Tamborasi is still a river.
Its water comes from a spring located in a nearby rocky hill. Tamborasi is surrounded by beautiful landscapes: on the one hand, mountains with rocky rocks and dense forest, and on the other hand, a small beach and the warm waters of the Flores Sea.
A rare golden monkey can be found in the nearby forest. Tourists are provided with wooden boats and a guide who will tell you about an interesting legend.
Locals believe that whoever can tie a knot at the root of a tree located in the riverbed will be blessed with a long-term relationship.
The water in the river is clean and cool, has a greenish tint.
Few people have heard about the river called Kovasselva, but for the locals it is the main source of drinking water, as well as a small attraction. Its length on average does not exceed 23 meters, and the minimum is 19 meters. It depends on the season and the fullness of the reservoir. The Kovasselva flows in Norway on one of the largest islands of Hitra. The river originates from underground sources and flows into the Norwegian Sea.
Trout lovers can go fishing and enjoy the beauties of this place
Reprua
Abkhazia is a paradise for tourists. Beautiful places, sun, beaches, but there is also another attraction here - the Reprua River. It is a unique water artery in the world. Its length is surprisingly small - only 18 meters. Sometimes, due to a storm, its length can decrease to 12 meters. During this period, the water in the sea rises, and naturally the length of the river decreases. Taking its beginning at the foot of the mountain, it flows directly into the Black Sea. In clear weather, the river flows along the coast to the breakwater, then it turns towards the sea. It is during this period that it becomes as long as possible, but still remains the shortest in the world.
The length of Reprua ranges from 12 to 18 meters
Despite such a small length of the river, it is quite enough to supply the inhabitants of the city with the purest drinking water. Specialists have established and assigned a high degree of purity of water flowing in the riverbed. The waters of Reprua are formed by melting glaciers, so it is cold in winter and summer.
Reprua originates in the depths of the deepest cave in the world - Krubiera Voronya, and there is a sad legend about its appearance. At a time when spirits walked the earth, the family of the Underground Spirit lived in this place. He had three daughters and a brave warrior son. My father forged weapons for the inhabitants of a nearby village, and they had magical properties. But everything comes to an end, and one day the Underground Spirit died, and with it his magic disappeared. The village was attacked and all the inhabitants were captured. The daughters of the Spirit hid in a cave, and his son was killed during the battle. Not finding the sisters in the depths of the cave, they decided to lay it with stones and leave the girls to perish. Yearning for their brother, the sisters cried, and from their tears a stream formed, breaking through the stones, it turned into a small river Reprua.
Reprua has the status of one of the coldest rivers on the Black Sea coast
At the moment, Reprua is the shortest river in the world, but this fact is not officially registered. According to the Guinness Book of Records, since 2006 it has been Rowe River. It is quite possible that the compilers of the Guinness Book of Records will officially change these data and name the shortest river in the world.
Have you ever wondered which river is the smallest in the world. It is possible that there are several such water bodies. But the most famous small river is Reprua.
And now more about what is the smallest river in the world.
Abkhazia is the birthplace of a small river
An interesting natural object in the form of a short river is located on the territory of the Republic of Abkhazia, and more specifically, in the area of the Gagra resort.
It is paradoxical that Gagra is the longest Abkhaz city, and Reprua is the shortest river in the world.
Description
Reprua is a rather modest rivulet, covering an area of 18 meters. Its width is also quite small - only 10 meters. Needless to say, the depth of Reprua is quite insignificant - only a few centimeters.
It originates from the beating spring of underground rivers that flow at a depth of several meters in underground caves. It is also worth noting that Reprua consists of the waters of an underground river that flows in the deepest cave of the world of Krubera-Voronya. Since groundwater fills the shortest river in the world, it can be noted that the temperature of the river water is not at all high - only 11 ° C, so it is impossible to stay in it for a long time.
Research evidence has deduced that the waters of the smallest river are the purest and drinkable. They are even compared to pure spring waters.
18 meters after its beginning, the river flows into the Black Sea. But it is worth noting that the river "carries" its beginning and its completion within the limits of the beach.
local legend
It would seem that there is not much attention to such a tiny water body? However, in Abkhazia there is even a legend dedicated to the river. She says that Reprua is nothing but the tears of one of the daughters of the spirit of the underworld. This spirit lived on the Black Sea coast with his son and his three daughters, who were similar to each other. The daughters were engaged in cooking and tailoring, and the father was engaged in the manufacture of weapons for his son and for other warriors defending the Gagra Pass. Thanks to this weapon, the soldiers were invincible. But when the spirit died, there was no one to make weapons, and the son, along with his associates, died at the hands of the attacked enemies. When the enemy troops captured almost the entire Black Sea coast, they walled up the passages of three underground caves, which served as an exit for the sisters to their father and brother. Having learned about the death of their brother, the sisters, imprisoned in the caves, began to shed bitter tears, which formed streams, and then rivers - Reprua, Anyhamtsu and Bagerepst, which are located close to each other.
So, having put together a beautiful legend, the indigenous Abkhazians told about the appearance of Reprua. Although scientific sources lack any information about its true origin and the time of its origin.
All these three rivers have cold waters with the same temperature as in the springs. By the way, the name of Bagerepst is translated as "cold river".
The value of the river for the city and the population
Despite such modest parameters of the river, it still benefits the entire city. Reprua serves as a conduit for the water intake of the entire Gagra.
What else can you learn about the river?
Despite the fact that the river is shallow, it has never dried up during its entire existence. This is understandable, because groundwater replenishes it.
The Reprua current is strong. On its entire surface, large stones protrude.
Representatives of aquatic flora and fauna live in the river: algae, plankton, unicellular organisms and small fish.
If we compare the Abkhazian Reprua with other small rivers of the world, then it can be noted that this river is several times shorter than the others. So, for example, the Rowe River, which flows in the USA and also claims to be the smallest river in the world, has a length of 61 meters, which is not much for a river.
Name of the river: what does "reprua" mean?
The smallest river in the world has a name of Abkhazian origin, but French sound. "Reprua" is translated as "jumping". But this name does not carry a semantic load regarding the river, since Reprua is the name of not only a small river, but also a huge natural complex. The name is "the outlet of fresh water to the coastal sea zone", which is why the indigenous people call the river Reprua. By the way, cave exits open not only on the shore, near the sea, but also in the sea itself, at a depth of 5-10 meters. In order to more reliably imagine the “reproix” process, you can simply take a full bath of water, place the shower on the bottom with the holes up and turn on the powerful water pressure. "Keys" are formed on the surface of the water, imitating the withdrawal of groundwater to the earth's surface.
Conclusion
Even the smallest water body does not go unnoticed by scientists and tourists. Reprua is a famous Abkhazian river, which has "overgrown" with its own legend. It has become a place where tourists come every year to look at the rivulet, whose proportions do not exceed the size of a standard pool.
It is surprising that such a "river" record is set in a small republic. Several dozen reservoirs can claim the title of the smallest river in Russia. In total, there are about 3 million small rivers in the Russian Federation.
An interesting geographical fact exists in the area of the resort town of Gagra, which is located in the Republic of Abkhazia. The curious thing here is that two opposites meet here. Namely, the city of Gagra is the longest city in Abkhazia, and flows very close the shortest river in the world, which is called Reprua. This river flows into the Black Sea.
The length of this miniature Reprua River is eighteen meters, but from time to time it overflows, and when overflowing, the width of the river can reach ten meters. It is also interesting that such a small river provides fresh water to such a large city as Gagra. The Reprua river is filled with waters coming out of the cave of the karst plateau, by the way, from deepest cave on earth, which is called Krubera-Voronya. Then it flows into the waters of the Black Sea.
Given the fact that the water comes from a very deep depth, it is so cold that it has the right to be called the coldest water on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. And here's the problem, with all the large historical or geographical objects, people, as a rule, associate many legends, passing them from mouth to mouth. And about the origin Reprua River, tells only one legend, although it costs ten.
Says legend that once many centuries ago, an underground spirit settled on the Black Sea coast along with his children, and he had four of them - a son and three twin daughters. The spirit was busy making swords, which he endowed with mighty power. His son, along with other warriors, took these swords and went to defend Gagra passage, through which the enemy could get into Rich Caucasian region- Abkhazia. And since the swords forged by the underground Spirit had magical powers, the defenders were practically invulnerable and invincible.
However, it so happened that the Spirit died, and there was no one to forge swords. At that moment, the enemy attacked Abkhazia, and without magic swords, the defenders could not withstand the onslaught of the enemy. In this fight, the son of the spirit was killed. The daughters were taken prisoner. The enemies decided to get rid of the three twin sisters, and imprisoned them in a cave, and filled up the entrance with huge boulders. The sisters had no choice but to cry and grieve. Moreover, there were a lot of tears, so many that they accumulated in streams and made their way through the gates. This is how the three rivers of Anykhamets, Bagerepst and Reprua.
By definition, the shortest river in the world cannot be there, because here, traditionally, everything is the largest on the planet, the inhabitants of these vast territories know absolutely for sure.
But seriously, the question is very interesting and informative, even somewhat unusual, since they usually look for the most full-flowing, longest or deepest river, and not a small one, approaching streams in terms of parameters, but remaining a full-fledged water body that can, for example, water a lot of people living near her.
Search for applicants
For example, in hot Africa, where there are no idylls, but the smallest rivers, too, although, it would seem, here, due to the climate that can dry up anything, they should not at all amaze with their size, hiding among the lifeless deserts, a little more populated savannahs of the Black Continent.
And, in fact, everything is pretty good with the rivers here. One Nile, successfully competing with the South American Amazon for the title of the largest waterway on the planet, which is worth it. Therefore, it is worth looking for small rivers on other continents of the Earth.
The title of the shortest river is claimed by:
Kovasselva also competes with the 20-meter Tamborassi River on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
Directly from one mountain of the southern slope of the Main Caucasian Range. It flows along a natural channel of stones, coastal pebbles, flowing into the Black Sea. This river is called the Reprua. It is located 2 km from the famous resort of Gagra (formerly Gagra), known to all residents of Russia, in the former Soviet, and now recognized and supported in military-political, economic terms only by Russia, the Republic of Abkhazia. Its length is only 18 m.
This is considered by scientists of the Abkhaz Academy of Sciences according to the maximum distance to flow into the sea, although at different times of the year, and also, depending on weather conditions, the coastline after storms, its channel changes its direction, location on the ground and varies from 6 ( !) up to 20 m.
Quite often on the Internet you can find information that there is another one near Gagra - a shorter river called Reiroa - 6.35 m, measured, apparently, with an accuracy of 1 cm.
In fact, we are talking about the same Reprua, it is simply not clear for what purposes the distorted name. However, one should not be surprised here, because, as a rule, such "experts in geographical sciences" in all seriousness claim that this is the shortest river in Russia (!). Comments are unnecessary, although, perhaps, this is being treated. For example, diligent, systematic reading.
To the question of the name Reprua, which sounds almost French. Sometimes in this connection they mention the famous foreigner - the Prince of Oldenburg, who did a lot for this resort town, which he loved so much. But, of course, he did not name the river, although the first mention of it, recorded in documents created at the beginning of the 20th century at the climatic station in Gagra, is associated with the name of its founder. Abkhaz scientists explain that it was originally called Rypryya, but over time the name has changed a bit.
This very small river is interesting not only in length and name:
Apparently, because the inhabitants of Abkhazia are wise people who live a correct, happy life in fabulous places bestowed on them by nature and fate, and, of course, are very different from fussy antipodes from across the ocean, then the question of applying to some the book of records is being considered, but no one is in a hurry on this issue.
Anyone who is going to have a rest in Sochi can be recommended to visit, located just a few tens of kilometers from it, the beautiful mountainous “country of the soul”, as the locals call it, Abkhazia, so that the shortest river in the world appears with their own eyes, remains in the photographs as a memory of these amazing places.