Bistrica ( cyrl, Бистрица) is

sinking river A losing stream, disappearing stream, influent stream or sinking river is a stream or river that loses water as it flows downstream. The water infiltrates into the ground recharging the local groundwater, because the water table is below the bo ...

near

Livno Livno ( sr-cyrl, Ливно, ) is a city and the administrative center of Canton 10 of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the river Bistrica in the southeastern edge of the Livno Field ...

in Western Bosnia,

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

, though highly regulated for

hydropower Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, converting the Pot ...

and

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...

since mid-20th century. The Bistrica springs out of large

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

ic source called Vrelo Duman, which is situated within the cave in Duman neighborhood, in the heart of Old Town of Livno, also called as Bistrički Grad ''(English: Bistrički Town; Bistrički is possessive form made from the river name - Bistrica)''.

Flow

It flows unregulated for roughly 6.3 kilometers through

Livanjsko Polje Livanjsko polje (), located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the largest ''polje'' (karstic field) in the world. A typical example of karst polje encircled by tall peaks and mountain ranges, the field is characterized by many unique natural phenomen ...

before it reaches section from where the rest of its course it flows regulated through artificially created riverbed, which is simply excavated in soil. From that point river also changes its name, appropriately, to ''the Prokop'', which in English literally translate as a trench, a ditch or dug out canal. Some 1.2 kilometers upstream from there the Bistrica receives the

Žabljak Žabljak ( Serbian / Montenegrin: Жабљак, ) is a small town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 1,723. Žabljak is the seat of Žabljak Municipality (2011 population: 3,569). The town is in the centre of the Durmitor mountain ...

river waters from the left. Further down the stream it receives the Sturba river, also from the left. After 14.9 kilometers the Bistrica than receives significant amount of waters from northwestern half of Livanjsko Polje, which is channeled through artificial canal named after existing river, the Plovuča, which still exists in that part of the

polje A polje, also karst polje or karst field, is a large flat plain found in karstic geological regions of the world, with areas usually . The name derives from the Slavic languages and literally means 'field', whereas in English ''polje'' specific ...

''(English: field)''.

Hydropower and irrigation system

At 20.3 kilometers the Bistrica finally reaches Lipsko Lake, near village of

Lipa Lipa or LIPA (Cyrillic: Липа) may refer to: Acronym *Liquid Isopropyl alcohol *League for Independent Political Action, a former American progressive political organization *Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a performing arts school in ...

, which is first and smaller of two artificial reservoirs in hydroelectric power plant system Buško Blato - HE Orlovac, other being Buško Blato reservoir. In this system Lipsko Lake is a compensation basin and serves for regulation of an outflow of water toward intake facility at

penstock A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydro turbines and sewerage systems. The term is inherited from the earlier technology of mill ponds and watermills. H ...

station "Lipa" at the foot of Kamešnica mountain, and across the border into

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

where hydroelectric power plant "HE Orlovac" is situated. Lipsko Lake is connected with much larger reservoir of Buško Blato, whose

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

can rise above head of Lipsko Lake up to several meters, via the reversible canal of "Lipsko-Buško" where it stores an excess waters from Livanjsko Polje and the Bistrica, especially during flooding season and high precipitation periods. For transfer of these waters over the barrage "Podgradina", at village

Podgradina Podgradina is a village in Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , ...

, into Buško Blato reservoir, system uses reversible pumping station "Buško Blato", built at the point where canal reaches barrage.

References

{{Commons, River Bistrica (Livno) Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sinking rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Karst springs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Buško Blato basin Livanjsko polje Caves of Bosnia and Herzegovina Karst caves of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Flow

Hydropower and irrigation system

See also

References