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Neretva
River The
Neretva River runs 225 kilometres -- 203 km through Bosnia and Herzegovina
and 22 km through Croatia. The upper river flows swiftly through a mountainous
landscape, while the last 30 km (from Pocitelj in Bosnia and Herzegovina)
spreads into an alluvial delta before emptying into the Adriatic Sea. The
Neretva’s lower course and delta were shaped by high waters that periodically
washed down from the mountains, bringing dissolved organic substrate, the
sedimentation of which created fertile soil. Neretva Delta  The valley
along the last 30 km of the Neretva River, and the river itself, comprise
a remarkable landscape. Downstream from the confluence of its tributaries,
the Trebizat and Bregava rivers, the valley spreads into an alluvial fan
covering 20,000 hectares. The upper valley, the 7,411 hectares in Bosnia
and Herzegovina, is called Hutovo Blato. In the lower valley in Croatia,
the Neretva River splinters into multiple courses, creating a delta covering
approximately 12,000 hectares. The delta in Croatia has been reduced by
extensive land reclamation projects, and now flows in just three branches,
a drop from the previous 12. The marshes, lagoons and lakes that once dotted
this plain have disappeared and only fragments of the old Mediterranean
wetlands have survived.
This area hosts a rich collection of plants and animals. According to existing data, there are 34 species of freshwater fish, including three endemic species from the trout family, more then 100 marine fish, seven species of amphibians, 16 species of reptiles and 52 species of mammals. A major attraction in the delta is its water and wetland birds. More than 300 bird species can be seen here, 115 of which nest in the area. When compared to other internationally important wetlands in Europe, the Neretva Delta has a greater number of species, although not as many nesting waterfowl species. The area is most important as a significant European resting and wintering place for migratory birds. There are five protected areas in Croatia with a total area of 1,620 hectares, and a further two proposed protected sites covering 777 hectares. Three of the protected sites are ornithological reserves (Pod Grede, Prud and Orepak), one is an ornithological and ichthyological reserve (the Neretva Delta) and two are protected landscapes (Modro oko and Desne Lake). Parilla Lake has been proposed as an ornithological and ichthyological reserve and Kuti Lake has been proposed as an ornithological reserve. The entire delta is anticipated for protection as a nature park by the Physical Planning Strategy of the Republic of Croatia and the National Biological and Landscape Diversity Protection Strategy with Action Plans (NBSAP). The proposal awaits official action by the Croatian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Physical Planning. Since 1995, Hutovo Blato has been protected as a nature park and managed
by a public authority. The whole zone is well protected from human impact
and functions as an important habitat for many plants and animals. |
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