Trebišnjica wellspring-group is a system of two geographically and hydrologically distinct principal groupings of strong karstic springs, Trebišnjica and Čeplica, which together constitute source of the

Trebišnjica The Trebišnjica ( sr-cyrl, Требишњица) is a river in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It used to be a sinking river, long above the ground. With a total length of above and under the ground, it is one of the longest sinking rivers in the world ...

river. Wellsprings are located just below town of Bileća in

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 ...

. The entire area where founts are situated is submerged under Bilećko Lake since 1967, formed after the construction of

Trebinje-1 Hydroelectric Power Station Trebinje I Hydroelectric Power Station or Trebinje-1 Hydroelectric Power Station is hydroelectric power plant (HPP) on the Trebišnjica River near Gornje Grančarevo in the municipality of Trebinje in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Trebinje-1 HPP is ac ...

and its large

arch dam An arch dam is a concrete dam that is curved upstream in plan. The arch dam is designed so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, causing the arch to straighten slightly and strengthe ...

at Grnčarevo village.

Springs

The Trebišnjica river emerges under the karstic plateau on which town of Bileća sits. There are two main spring-groups, first in immediate proximity of town itself, and second little more than 3 kilometers downstream at Čepelica village.

Trebišnjica spring-group

The Trebišnjica spring-group at Bileća, at a.s.l., is composed of three major wellspring outlets, " Dejanova Pećina", " Vrelo Oko", and " Nikšičko Vrelo".

Čepelica spring-group

Another submerged springs are

Čepelica river Čepelica ( sr-cyrl, Чепелица) is a village and the small river in the municipality of Bileća, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herz ...

spring-group ( "Čepelica spring-group"), located at Ćepelica village, further down the stream from first group, at a.s.l. The Čepelica river itself was less than long seasonal river, and flowed through

valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...

of "Luke" (literally ; figuratively ) before it meet Trebišnjica at "Mistialj" confluence. The Čepelica spring-group consists of two main karst hydrological features, Wellspring Čepo ''(Vrelo "Čepo")'' with three main outlets, and group of smaller estavelles (

sinkholes A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...

) and springs on the left-bank side of the Čepelica river streambed.

Bileća Lake environmental and ecological impact

Both groups were part of the characteristic Dinaric karst landscape with significant aesthetic value, however entire region surrounding the Trebišnjica headwaters, together with its sources, many villages and productive land is flooded in 1967 by the Bilećko Lake, formed after construction of the Grnčarevo dam, with the primary purpose of serving as an artificial water reservoir for the

turbines.

References

{{Neretva Trebišnjica Subterranean rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bileća Karst springs of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Caves of Bosnia and Herzegovina Karst caves of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lower Horizons Hydroelectric Power Stations System Dam controversies in Bosnia and Herzegovina Trebišnjica river damming and regulation controversy

Springs

Trebišnjica spring-group

Čepelica spring-group

Bileća Lake environmental and ecological impact

See also

References