- right Neajlov - average 73 m/s (2,578 cu ft/s) Basin area 12,600 km² | Length 350 km Source elevation 2,030 m | |
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Cities Pitești, Curtea de Argeș, Oltenița | ||
The Argeș ([ˈard͡ʒeʃ]) is a river in Southern Romania. It is 350 km (220 mi) long, and its basin area is 12,550 km2 (4,850 sq mi). Its source is in the Făgăraș Mountains, in the Southern Carpathians and it flows into the Danube at Oltenița.
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Map of Arge%C8%99 River, Romania
The main city on the Argeș is Pitești. Upstream, it is retained by the Vidraru Dam, which has created Lake Vidraru. Its upper course, upstream of Lake Vidraru, is also called Capra.
NameEdit
The river is believed to be the same as Ὀρδησσός Ordessus, a name mentioned by Ancient Greek historian Herodotus. The etymology of Argeș is not clear. Traditionally, it was considered that it's derived from the ancient name, through a reconstructed term, *Argessis. The capital of Dacian leader Burebista was named Argedava, but it appears that it has no link with the name for the river.
An alternate etymology derives the name of the river from a Pecheneg word, transliterated into Romanian as argiș (meaning "higher ground"). The earliest recorded variants of the name, referring to the city of Curtea de Argeș (lit. "The Court on the Argeș"), also suggest a derivation from this word: Argyas (1369), Argies (1379), Arghiș (1427), the river probably taking the name of the city.
LocalitiesEdit
The following localities are situated along the river Argeș, from source to mouth: Căpățânenii Ungureni, Căpățânenii Pământeni, Arefu, Poienarii de Argeș, Corbeni, Rotunda, Albeștii de Argeș, Curtea de Argeș, Băiculești, Merișani, Bascov, Pitești, Găești, Bolintin-Deal, Adunații-Copăceni, and Oltenița.
Hydro energyEdit
The Argeș River and some of its tributaries are used for hydro energy. The hydroelectrical system consists of several dams, lakes, tunnels and power plants. The lakes built on the Argeș River are: Vidraru, Oiești, Cerbureni, Curtea de Argeș, Zigoneni, Merișani, Budeasa, Bascov, Pitești, Călinești (or Golești), Zăvoiu (near Mătăsaru), Ogrezeni and Mihăilești. There are dams also on its tributaries.
TributariesEdit
Argeș has for its left tributaries: Braia, Mândra, Buda, Valea cu Pești, Valea Lupului, Limpedea, Chiciura, Valea Iașului, Vâlsan, Râul Doamnei, Râncăciov, Cârcinov, Budișteanca, Sabar, Dâmbovița, Rasa, and Luica.
Its tributaries on the right are Paltinul, Lespezi, Modrugazu, Cumpăna, Valea lui Stan, Arefu, Bănești, Valea Danului, Tutana, Schiau, Bascov and Neajlov.