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Olt (river)

Coordinates: 43°42′46″N 24°48′1″E / 43.71278°N 24.80028°E / 43.71278; 24.80028
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Olt
The Avrig reservoir on the Olt
Location
CountryRomania
Counties
Cities
Physical characteristics
SourceHășmaș Mountains
 • locationBălan, Harghita
 • elevation1,440 m (4,720 ft)
MouthDanube
 • location
near Turnu Măgurele
 • coordinates
43°42′46″N 24°48′1″E / 43.71278°N 24.80028°E / 43.71278; 24.80028
Length615 km (382 mi)
Basin size24,050 km2 (9,290 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationmouth
 • average174 m3/s (6,100 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionDanube→ Black Sea
Tributaries 
 • leftRâul Negru, Bârsa, Topolog
 • rightCormoș, Cibin, Lotru, Olteț
River codeVIII.1
Map

The Olt (Romanian and Hungarian; German: Alt; Latin: Aluta or Alutus, Turkish: Oltu, Ancient Greek: Ἄλυτος Alytos) is a river in Romania.[1][2] It is 615 km (382 mi) long, and its basin area is 24,050 km2 (9,290 sq mi).[2][3] It is the longest river flowing exclusively through Romania. Its average discharge at the mouth is 174 m3/s (6,100 cu ft/s).[3] It originates in the Hășmaș Mountains of the eastern Carpathian Mountains, near Bălan, rising close to the headwaters of the river Mureș. The Olt flows through the Romanian counties of Harghita, Covasna, Brașov, Sibiu, Vâlcea, and Olt. The river was known as Alutus or Aluta in Roman antiquity. Olt County and the historical province of Oltenia are named after the river.

Sfântu Gheorghe, Râmnicu Vâlcea and Slatina are the main cities on the river Olt. The Olt flows into the Danube river near Turnu Măgurele.

Settlements

Crossing the Olt river, 1869 watercolor by Amedeo Preziosi

The main cities along the river Olt are Miercurea Ciuc, Sfântu Gheorghe, Făgăraș, Râmnicu Vâlcea and Slatina.

The Olt passes through the following communes, from source to mouth: Bălan, Sândominic, Tomești, Cârța, Dănești, Mădăraș, Racu, Siculeni, Ciceu, Miercurea Ciuc, Sâncrăieni, Sântimbru, Sânsimion, Tușnad, Băile Tușnad, Bixad, Micfalău, Malnaș, Bodoc, Ghidfalău, Sfântu Gheorghe, Ilieni, Prejmer, Hărman, Vâlcele, Bod, Feldioara, Hăghig, Măieruș, Belin, Apața, Aita Mare, Ormeniș, Baraolt, Augustin, Racoș, Hoghiz, Ungra, Comăna, Părău, Șercaia, Mândra, Făgăraș, Beclean, Voila, Viștea, Ucea, Arpașu de Jos, Cârța, Porumbacu de Jos, Avrig, Racovița, Tălmaciu, Turnu Roșu, Boița, Câineni, Racovița, Brezoi, Călimănești, Dăești, Bujoreni, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Budești, Mihăești, Galicea, Băbeni, Ionești, Olanu, Drăgoești, Orlești, Dobroteasa, Prundeni, Vulturești, Verguleasa, Drăgășani, Voicești, Teslui, Grădinari, Strejești, Curtișoara, Pleșoiu, Găneasa, Olt, Slatina, Slătioara, Milcov, Piatra-Olt, Brâncoveni, Ipotești, Osica de Sus, Coteana, Fălcoiu, Mărunței, Drăgănești-Olt, Fărcașele, Stoenești, Dăneasa, Gostavățu, Sprâncenata, Băbiciu, Scărișoara, Rusănești, Cilieni, Tia Mare, Izbiceni, Lunca, Giuvărăști and Islaz.

Tributaries

The following rivers are tributaries of the river Olt (from source to mouth):[2]

Dams

For supply of drinking water and water for irrigation and for the production of hydroelectricity, 44 reservoirs have been built in the Olt river basin. There are 24 reservoirs for hydropower on the river Olt itself, and three on its tributary Lotru.[4] There are hydropower plants at (from source to mouth) Voila, Viștea, Arpaș, Scoreiu, Avrig, Gura Lotrului, Turnu, Călimănești, Dăești, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Râureni, Govora, Băbeni, Ionești, Zăvideni, Drăgășani, Strejești, Arcești, Slatina, Ipotești, Drăgănești, Frunzaru, Rusănești and Izbiceni. The total energy production of the 43 hydropower plants in the Olt basin was 2,980 GWh in 1996.[5]

Clickable map of the (ro:Defileul Oltului)/(en:Olt Defile) drainage basin

Lotrioara drainage basinMegieşul & Pleaşa drainages basinsMărul & Strâmba drainages basinsFratelui & Boul drainages basinsVadul drainage basinVlad/Stupina/Valea Largă/Scaunelor drainage basinCurpănul & Coţii drainage basinBoia drainage basinUria and Robeşti drainage basinCălineşti under constructionSecu drainage basinBăiaşu drainage basinLotrişor under constructionBrădişor LakeVidra LakeLatoriţa drainage basinLotru under constructionRomâniaCindrel MountainsFăgăraş MountainsCozia MassifCăpăţânii MountainsParâng MountainsŞureanu MountainsLotrului Mountains
Interactive map of the Olt Defile drainage basin. (Click on the desired quadrant.)
  • Olt – Close to the source, at Siculeni
    Olt – Close to the source, at Siculeni
  • The Olt River at Turnu Roșu
    The Olt River at Turnu Roșu
  • Carol Popp de Szathmary, Olt Valley
    Carol Popp de Szathmary, Olt Valley
  • Slatina storage reservoir on the Olt river
    Slatina storage reservoir on the Olt river

See also

References

  1. ^ "Planul național de management. Sinteza planurilor de management la nivel de bazine/spații hidrografice, anexa 7.1" (PDF, 5.1 MB). Administrația Națională Apele Române. 2010. pp. 635–638.
  2. ^ a b c Atlasul cadastrului apelor din România. Partea 1 (in Romanian). Bucharest: Ministerul Mediului. 1992. pp. 263–308. OCLC 895459847. River code: VIII.1
  3. ^ a b "Danube River Basin District, Part A - Roof Report" (PDF). ICPDR. April 2004. p. 12.
  4. ^ Hydro-technical infrastructure in Romania, SEPIC, Bucharest (2004) pp. 23-27
  5. ^ Danube Pollution Reduction Programme, National Reviews 1998 Romania, pp. 84-87 (of 262)
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