For the first time about the largest rivers and lakes of Algeria, wePerhaps we will learn more in geography lessons in high school. You must admit that it often happens that, having gathered general information from a successfully compiled and illustrated textbook, we subsequently begin to turn over mountains of specialized literature in order to get acquainted with our own little discovery in more detail.
It seems that the rivers and lakes of Algeria, whose photosare provided not only in textbooks, but also in many popular science journals, cannot but attract attention with their unusual and mysterious nature. And it’s not even the case that this country is far enough away from our usual places of residence or vacation - there is some special mystery in that area.
This article will not only list the largest rivers and lakes of Algeria, the reader will get acquainted with their characteristic features and properties that distinguish them from any other corner of the world’s ocean.
Section 1. General information
In general, one can not fail to note the most importantnuance. Almost all the largest rivers and lakes of Algeria belong to the so-called temporary watercourses, that is, they are filled exclusively during the rainy season. But when the aforementioned period comes to an end, all the rivers dry up, but the lakes become salt marshes with a crust up to 60 cm in thickness.
The main water arteries of this mysterious state can be considered Sheliff, Boudououou, Bowselam, Isser, Jedi, Mejerda, Mina, Rhiou, Rhumel, Tafina and some others.
Note that those rivers that flow through the northof this African country, they pour, as a rule, into the Mediterranean Sea. As for the rest, they flow towards the Sahara, where, in the end, they are lost.
Кстати, на многих реках Алжира строят плотины, hydroelectric power stations, reservoirs. Fresh water from various types of reservoirs is used to irrigate over a hundred thousand hectares of land, as well as to supply people with drinking water.
Section 2. The nature and economic significance of Sheliff
If considered so important in manyRelationship theme, as the river and lake of Algeria, not to mention Sheliff, which is considered the longest water artery of the state. Its length is 725 km, it finally flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
It is estimated that the total area of the basin r.Sheliff is 55 thousand km ². This river crosses the Houts plateau, although in this place it is more like a chain of swamps and very shallow muds. By the way, it is here that the river loses the predominant part of its flow.
However, the inflowWadi-Nahr-Oussel, after which Sheliff becomes more full-flowing, turns sharply and walks into the gorge in Tell-Atlas. After a few more kilometers, it goes west and then flows parallel to the Mediterranean coast in the valley.
Sheliff is widely used for household needs.of the state. To date, several hydroelectric power stations have been built on this large river, and water is actively used for irrigation. In the valley, fed by its waters, the farmland is superbly developed, and people mostly breed citrus fruits, grapes and cotton.
Section 3. What do we know about Jedi?
Jedi River is a fairly large reservoir of the Sahara, its length is 480 km. It begins at an altitude of 1400 m in the Sahara Atlas, and then all the time flows from west to east.
Jedi falls into the salt lake Shott-Melgir.By the way, not everyone knows that the place where this river flows into the lake is located in the lowest area of the state, at around 40 m below sea level.
The river bed consists mainly of gypsum and mud, insome places reaches several kilometers wide. But it should be noted that this river is rarely full-flowing. For the soil along the banks of the Jedi, the presence of a high salt concentration is characteristic, therefore, of course, there is no particular vegetation here.
The river flows near the cities of Laguat and Sidi Khaled, providing a total population of more than 165 thousand people. clean drinking water.
Section 4. Lake Schott-Melgir
The largest rivers and lakes of Algeria actuallyamazing and unique. So, it is impossible not to mention Shott-Melgir, which is considered to be the largest lake in the country. This body of water has a salty nature and in the summer, as a rule, it dries up, turning into a salt marsh.
This drainless lake is in the west, itsthe area is 6,700 km² and the width is 131 km. During the winter rains, the Schott-Melgir fills well with water flowing directly from the Ores mountains. This is largely due to the location of the lake. The thing is that it is located 26 m below sea level.
Note that according to the RamsarConvention Schott-Melgir is protected. Every year hundreds of tourists come to this amazing place to enjoy such an unusual natural object.
Section 5. Ink Lake in Algeria
Geographically, Ink Lake isnear the town of Sidi Bel Abbes. But it is not famous at all. The mystery is that it is a truly unique phenomenon of a natural character. Why? In this lake there are no fish or plants.
The lake, instead of water, is filled with ink that is poisonous to any organism. That is why other names appeared among the people, for example, the Devil's Eye, Inkwell, Black Lake.
The Phenomenon Lake Phenomenon has remained for many years.for scientists a real mystery. But recently a secret has been revealed: 2 rivers are flowing into the Ink lake. One of them contains dissolved iron salts. But the second river has a variety of organic compounds. The waters of these two rivers, as a result of complex chemical reactions, eventually form ink.
