Ljubevščica is a

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...

in western

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

on the outskirts of

Idrija Idrija (, in older sources ''Zgornja Idrija''; german: (Ober)idria, it, Idria) is a town in western Slovenia. It is the seat of the Municipality of Idrija. It is located in the traditional region of Inner Carniola and is in the Gorizia Statistic ...

and the second right tributary of the Idrijca River. It originates between Kovačev Rovt and Reber, hamlets of the settlement

Gore Gore may refer to: Places Australia * Gore, Queensland * Gore Creek (New South Wales) * Gore Island (Queensland) Canada * Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community * Gore, Quebec, a township municipality * Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manitouli ...

. After a course, it flows into the Idrijca River. Ljubevščica has several unnamed tributaries that originate under the slopes of Gore, Jelenji Vrh, Turn, Govekarjev Vrh, and Zagodov Vrh. Multiple tributaries form small waterfalls on their watercourse. Two sinkholes formed on the slopes of Jelični Vrh and are protected with the

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectively ...

program. Another sinkhole formed in the streambed under Kovačev Rovt. Initially, Ljubevščica flows over marshy clastic rocks and weathered

Anisian In the geologic timescale, the Anisian is the lower stage or earliest age of the Middle Triassic series or epoch and lasted from million years ago until million years ago. The Anisian Age succeeds the Olenekian Age (part of the Lower Triassic Ep ...

Ladinian The Ladinian is a stage and age in the Middle Triassic series or epoch. It spans the time between Ma and ~237 Ma (million years ago). The Ladinian was preceded by the Anisian and succeeded by the Carnian (part of the Upper or Late Triassic). ...

rocks, then over shallow-sea predominantly carbonate rocks, and in the lower part of the valley before the confluence, the stream flows over shallow-sea rocks and

Carnian The Carnian (less commonly, Karnian) is the lowermost stage of the Upper Triassic Series (or earliest age of the Late Triassic Epoch). It lasted from 237 to 227 million years ago (Ma). The Carnian is preceded by the Ladinian and is followed by t ...

shallow-sea carbonates.

Idrija Fault The Idrija Fault (; sl, Idrijski prelom) is a seismically active fault in Slovenia. It strikes NW–SE and the fault plane dips towards the northeast. The activity along the fault started in the Miocene with normal faulting and changed to dextral ...

, the most pronounced geological fault in Slovenia, runs through the Ljubevščica Valley. In 1961, the Idrija Fishing Society introduced

brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...

(''Salmo trutta'') into the stream and established a breeding area within the watercourse. The valley is also home to the ''

Orchis purpurea ''Orchis purpurea'', the lady orchid, is a herbaceous plant belonging to the genus ''Orchis'' of the family Orchidaceae. Description ''Orchis purpurea'' reaches on average of height. The leaves are broad and oblong-lanceolate, forming a ros ...

''. A dam was planned around 1580 for the needs of a water pump at the then newly built Barbara shaft of the Idrija mercury mine, but the building process was only accomplished by pumping master Hans Rath († 1591) in 1589, while the dam was completed in 1592 by Gregor Schmelzer. From the dam, the water flowed through a simple sand filter, and then through a 170 m long wooden channel long to the shaft. The dam and canal no longer exist today. Two industrial waste disposal sites and a culturally protected homestead are located in Ljubevščica Valley. On its course, it flows through the urban district of Cegovnica, past the city cemetery and a commercial facility. Just before the confluence, it passes under the main road 102.

References

{{coord, 45.99539, 14.03351, format=dms, type:river_region:SI, display=title Idrija Rivers of Slovenia