Byala reka ( bg, Бяла река, meaning ''White river''; el, Ασπροπόταμος) is a river in the
Rhodope Mountains
The Rhodopes (; bg, Родопи, ; el, Ροδόπη, ''Rodopi''; tr, Rodoplar) are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, and the largest by area in Bulgaria, with over 83% of its area in the southern part of the country and the remainder in ...
in Southern
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
, the longest tributary of
Luda reka
The Erythropotamos ( el, Ερυθροπόταμος, meaning "red river") or Luda reka ( bg, Луда река, meaning "mad river") is a river in southern Bulgaria (Haskovo Province) and northeastern Greece ( Evros regional unit). Its Turkish na ...
.
The river rises near the village of
Chernichevo, close to the
Greek border then flows in a general eastern direction until it flows into Luda reka near
Siv Kladenets
Siv Kladenets is a village in the municipality of Ivaylovgrad, in Haskovo Province, in southern Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situa ...
exactly on the Greek border.
The river is notable for the meanders in its middle course which is part of the protected area "Meanders of the White river" as well the species of
ray-finned fish
Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species.
The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...
, ''
Cobitis rhodopensis
''Cobitis'' is a genus of small freshwater fish in the family Cobitidae from temperate and subtropical Eurasia. It contains the "typical spiny loaches", including the well-known spined loach of Europe. Similar spiny loaches, occurring generally ...
'', which was discovered in 1998 and is the only endemic vertebrate in Bulgaria.
References
Rivers of Bulgaria
Landforms of Kardzhali Province
Landforms of Haskovo Province
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