The largest rivers and lakes of Algeria. What are they?

For the first time about the largest rivers and lakes of Algeria, we, perhaps, learn even in the lessons of geography in high school. Agree, because it often happens that, drawing general information from a successfully compiled and illustrated textbook, we subsequently begin to turn mountains of specialized literature to get acquainted with our own little discovery in more detail.

It seems that the rivers and lakes of Algeria, photos of which are provided not only in textbooks, but also in many popular science magazines, can not but attract attention with their unusual and mysterious. And it's not even that this country is far enough from our usual places of residence or vacations - 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 corners of the world ocean of the planet.

Section 1. General information

In general, it is necessary to note one most important nuance. Almost all the largest rivers and lakes of Algeria are referred to the so-called temporary watercourses, that is, they are filled exclusively during the rainy season. But when the above-mentioned period comes to an end, all the rivers dry up, but the lakes become solonchaks with a crust up to 60 cm in thickness.

The main water arteries of this mysterious state can be considered Sheliff, Boudouauou, Bousselam, Isser, Jedi, Mejerda, Mina, Rhio, Rhumel, Tafina and some others.

Note that the rivers that flow in the north of this African country, are, as a rule, poured into the Mediterranean Sea. As for everyone else, they flow towards the Sahara, where, in the end, they are lost.

By the way, on many rivers of Algeria dams, hydroelectric power stations, reservoirs are being built. Fresh water from various types of water bodies is used to irrigate more than a hundred thousand hectares of land, as well as supplying people with drinking water.

Section 2. Nature and economic importance of Sheliffe

If we consider such an important topic in many respects as the rivers and lakes of Algeria, we can not fail to mention Sheliff, which is rightly considered the most extensive waterway of the state. Its length is 725 km, it flows into the Mediterranean, after all.

It is estimated that the total area of the p. Sheliff is 55 thousand km². This river crosses the Hauts plateau, though in this place it is more like a chain of marshes and very small muddy water bodies. By the way, it is here that the river loses the most part of its runoff.

However, the inflow of Wadi-Nahr-Oussel flows a little farther, after which Sheliff becomes more full, sharply turns and enters the gorge in Tell Atlas. After a few more kilometers it follows to the west and further flows parallel to the Mediterranean coast in the valley.

Sheliffe is widely used for the economic needs of the state. At the moment, several hydroelectric power stations are built on this large river, water is actively used for irrigation. In the valley, fed by its waters, the agriculture is beautifully developed, and people plant mostly citrus, grapes and cotton.

Section 3. What do we know about Jedi?

The 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 Sakha Atlas, and then all the time it flows from west to east.

Jedi falls into the salt lake of Schott-Melgir. By the way, not everyone knows that the place where this river flows into the lake is located in the lowest terrain of the state, at a level of 40 m below sea level.

The river bed mainly consists of gypsum and mud, in some places it reaches several kilometers wide. But it should be noted that this river is rarely deep water. For the soil along the banks of the Jedi, the presence of a high concentration of salt is characteristic, so there is certainly no special vegetation here.

The river flows not far from the cities of Laghouat 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 are really amazing and unique. So, we can not fail to mention the Schott-Melgir, which is rightfully considered the largest lake in the country. This reservoir has a saline nature and in the summer, as a rule, it dries up, turning into a solonchak.

This inland lake is located in the west, its area is 6700 km ², and the width is 131 km. During the winter rains, the Chott-Melgir is well filled with water, flowing directly from the mountains of the Ores. This is largely facilitated by the location of the lake. The thing is that it is 26 m below sea level.

It should be noted that in accordance with the Ramsar Convention, Schott-Melgir is under protection. Every year hundreds of tourists come to this amazing place to enjoy such an unusual natural object.

Section 5. The ink lake in Algiers

Geographically, the Ink Lake is near Sidi Bel Abbes. But it is not famous for it at all. The mystery is that it represents a truly unique phenomenon of a natural nature. Why? In this lake there are neither fish nor plants.

The lake instead of water is filled with ink, which is poisonous to any organisms. That is why the people came up with its other names, for example, the Eye of the Devil, the Inkwell, the Black Lake.

The phenomenon of the Ink Lake for many years remained a mystery to scientists. But recently the secret was revealed: 2 rivers flow into the Ink Lake. In one of them, iron salts are dissolved in dissolved form. But the second river has different organic compounds. The waters of these two rivers, as a result of complex chemical reactions, eventually form ink.