16 Water Resources from Apuseni Mountains …
547
netic or antecedents (especially on limestone) have evolved. The most representative
hydrographic landmarks are defined by the valley of Mures , , the collector of all rivers
that drain to the south and east (except Some¸ sul Cald and Somes , ul Rece creek,
collected by Tisa on the territory of Hungary through Somes , ul Mic, and from Dej
of Somes , ) and Alm˘ ajului and Agrijului stream collected by Some¸ s, respectively
the three Cri¸ suri drained to the west (towards Tisa), after passing the Hills and the
Western Plain.
The case studies presented below will refer to the watercourses located in these
hydrographic areas. By the relatively central position of the high-altitude areas, the
prerequisites conditions for river network are created, leading into a veritable “water
castle edifice” with radial drainage, similar to volcanic areas.
The most important watercourses that cross the Apuseni Mountains are Arie¸ sul,
Some¸ sul Mic, Cri¸ sul Repede, Cris , ul Negru and Cris , ul Alb. The northern, northeastern
and southern flanks are defined by lesser tributaries, drained towards Somes , or Mures ,
river (Fig. 16.11).
The river network of the Mure¸ s basin, with its quasi-covering tributary of the
eastern flank Aries , , is characterized by an asymmetry of its catchment associated with
the studied area. In Apuseni, Aries , River creates a great asymmetry as it penetrates
its springs close to their western edge, and as a result, traverses almost the entire
mountain edifice. Having its springs in the B˘ atrâna massif, at an altitude of 1108 m,
Aries , is composed of two hydrographic branches that drain, the eastern flank of
the Bihor Mountains—Arie¸ sul Mare and Arie¸ sul Mic. They join together into a
confluence upstream of Câmpeni, in Mihoie¸ sti reservoir [5].
Arie¸ sul Mare has an asymmetric basin, with superior development on the left,
marked by strong tributaries: Coble¸ sul, Gârda Seac˘ a with Ordâncu¸ sa, Albacul
(Lenght, 19 km, Drainage basin, 95 km
2 ), while on the right it receives shorter
tributaries, like Cepelor Valley, Bucura and Neagra creeks. Arie¸ sul Mic (34 km,
160 km
2 ) has its springs at an altitude of 1450 m, in the southern slope of Cucurb˘ ata
Mare peak and drains the area adjacent to the Biharia massif, the northern slopes of
G˘ aina Mountain and Arie¸ sului Mic Mountains. Most of its tributaries have a small
length (less than 10 km).
After the union of the two main branches, Arie¸ s receives, downstream of Câmpeni,
the most important tributary on his right: Abrud (24 km, 223 km
2 ). Developed at the
contact between the Bihor massif and the Metalifers, the Abrud is characterized by
a strong asymmetric basin, in favor of the right tributaries, with a high coefficient of
sinuosity, imposed by the neogene hills [5].
The middle part of the Arie¸ s River is dominated by the important contribution
of left tributaries, which drain the southern flank of Muntele Mare Mountain: Bistra
(18 km, 43 km
2 ), Bistri¸ soara, Lup¸ sa, Valea Caselor, S˘ alciu¸ ta, Pos , aga, Ocoli¸ sul and
Ocoli¸ selul. To this is added the most important left tributary of Arie¸ s, Iara (48 km,
321 km
2 ). From the right side, Arie¸ s receives in the middle sector the tributaries that
drain the northern slope of the Metaliferi Mountains, respectively the north-western
flank of Trasc˘ aului Mountains: ¸
Stefanca, Valea Mus , canilor, Valea ¸
Sesei and Râmetea
(17 km, 42 km
2 ).
547
netic or antecedents (especially on limestone) have evolved. The most representative
hydrographic landmarks are defined by the valley of Mures , , the collector of all rivers
that drain to the south and east (except Some¸ sul Cald and Somes , ul Rece creek,
collected by Tisa on the territory of Hungary through Somes , ul Mic, and from Dej
of Somes , ) and Alm˘ ajului and Agrijului stream collected by Some¸ s, respectively
the three Cri¸ suri drained to the west (towards Tisa), after passing the Hills and the
Western Plain.
The case studies presented below will refer to the watercourses located in these
hydrographic areas. By the relatively central position of the high-altitude areas, the
prerequisites conditions for river network are created, leading into a veritable “water
castle edifice” with radial drainage, similar to volcanic areas.
The most important watercourses that cross the Apuseni Mountains are Arie¸ sul,
Some¸ sul Mic, Cri¸ sul Repede, Cris , ul Negru and Cris , ul Alb. The northern, northeastern
and southern flanks are defined by lesser tributaries, drained towards Somes , or Mures ,
river (Fig. 16.11).
The river network of the Mure¸ s basin, with its quasi-covering tributary of the
eastern flank Aries , , is characterized by an asymmetry of its catchment associated with
the studied area. In Apuseni, Aries , River creates a great asymmetry as it penetrates
its springs close to their western edge, and as a result, traverses almost the entire
mountain edifice. Having its springs in the B˘ atrâna massif, at an altitude of 1108 m,
Aries , is composed of two hydrographic branches that drain, the eastern flank of
the Bihor Mountains—Arie¸ sul Mare and Arie¸ sul Mic. They join together into a
confluence upstream of Câmpeni, in Mihoie¸ sti reservoir [5].
Arie¸ sul Mare has an asymmetric basin, with superior development on the left,
marked by strong tributaries: Coble¸ sul, Gârda Seac˘ a with Ordâncu¸ sa, Albacul
(Lenght, 19 km, Drainage basin, 95 km
2 ), while on the right it receives shorter
tributaries, like Cepelor Valley, Bucura and Neagra creeks. Arie¸ sul Mic (34 km,
160 km
2 ) has its springs at an altitude of 1450 m, in the southern slope of Cucurb˘ ata
Mare peak and drains the area adjacent to the Biharia massif, the northern slopes of
G˘ aina Mountain and Arie¸ sului Mic Mountains. Most of its tributaries have a small
length (less than 10 km).
After the union of the two main branches, Arie¸ s receives, downstream of Câmpeni,
the most important tributary on his right: Abrud (24 km, 223 km
2 ). Developed at the
contact between the Bihor massif and the Metalifers, the Abrud is characterized by
a strong asymmetric basin, in favor of the right tributaries, with a high coefficient of
sinuosity, imposed by the neogene hills [5].
The middle part of the Arie¸ s River is dominated by the important contribution
of left tributaries, which drain the southern flank of Muntele Mare Mountain: Bistra
(18 km, 43 km
2 ), Bistri¸ soara, Lup¸ sa, Valea Caselor, S˘ alciu¸ ta, Pos , aga, Ocoli¸ sul and
Ocoli¸ selul. To this is added the most important left tributary of Arie¸ s, Iara (48 km,
321 km
2 ). From the right side, Arie¸ s receives in the middle sector the tributaries that
drain the northern slope of the Metaliferi Mountains, respectively the north-western
flank of Trasc˘ aului Mountains: ¸
Stefanca, Valea Mus , canilor, Valea ¸
Sesei and Râmetea
(17 km, 42 km
2 ).