Dâmbovița (river) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dâmbovița |
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The Dâmbovița in Bucharest
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| Country | Romania |
| Counties | Argeș, Dâmbovița, Ilfov, Bucharest, Călărași |
| Cities | Bucharest |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Curmătura Oticu Făgăraș Mountains 1,800 m (5,900 ft) 45°29′54″N 24°56′14″E / 45.49833°N 24.93722°E |
| River mouth | Argeș Budești 43 m (141 ft) 44°13′40″N 26°28′16″E / 44.22778°N 26.47111°E |
| Length | 286 km (178 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Argeș→ Danube→ Black Sea |
| Basin size | 2,824 km2 (1,090 sq mi) |
| Tributaries |
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| River code | X.1.25 |
The Dâmbovița is a river in Romania. It starts high up in the Făgăraș Mountains. This river flows through Bucharest, the capital city. It then joins another river called Argeș near Budești.
The Dâmbovița is about 286 km (178 mi) long. Its basin, which is the area of land that drains into the river, covers about 2,824 km2 (1,090 sq mi). The county of Dâmbovița County in Romania is even named after this river!
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What's in a Name?
The name Dâmbovița comes from an old Slavic word. That word is dǫbŭ, which means "oak". This name makes sense because the river once flowed through many oak forests. These forests were part of the Wallachian Plain. The very top part of the river is also sometimes called Valea Boarcășului.
Dâmbovița in Bucharest
For many centuries, the Dâmbovița river was the main source of drinking water for the city of Bucharest. Even though there were some water wells, most of the city's water was brought by people who carried it.
Old stories from Bucharest say the Dâmbovița's water was "sweet" and "clean." But as more people moved to Bucharest, the river became less clean. This led to the need for aqueducts, which are structures that carry water. The first aqueducts with public fountains were built when Prince Alexander Ypsilantis ruled.
Many watermills were built along the Dâmbovița. Most of these mills belonged to the prince, monasteries, or rich families called boyars.
River Branches and Floods
The Dâmbovița used to have two smaller rivers joining it in Bucharest:
- The Dâmbovicioara, on the right side.
- The Bucureștioara, which started from a pond.
There was also a branch of the river called Gârlița. This branch created an island known as Ostrovu.
The Dâmbovița often caused floods in Bucharest. The left side of the river was lower, so it flooded more easily. After a big flood in 1775, Prince Ypsilantis ordered a special canal to be built. This canal was meant to help prevent or reduce flooding. Later, in 1813, Prince Ioan Caragea decided to clean the river bed.
The part of the river that flows through Bucharest has been changed twice. First, in 1883, it was channeled to stop regular floods. Then, in the late 1970s, it was changed again. This was done to help with rebuilding the central area and building the Bucharest Metro. To prevent floods, a dam was built in 1986. This dam created an artificial lake called Morii Lake.
The Dâmbovița has never been a river where boats can travel easily. There was an attempt in 1902 to use boats on the river, but it was not successful.
In the past, Bucharest had only a few bridges over the Dâmbovița. This was because the right side of the river had very few people living there. Some wealthy families owned land on both sides of the river and had their own footbridges. Today, there are sixteen bridges over the Dâmbovița River in central Bucharest.
Cleaning the Dâmbovița
The Dâmbovița river used to be quite polluted. This changed in 2011 when the Glina Wastewater Station opened. This station is the biggest environmental project in Romania. It cleans the dirty water that flows into a channel built under the river.
Before the river even reaches Bucharest, its water is already treated by a company called "Compania de Apă Târgoviște." After leaving Bucharest, the Dâmbovița's water used to be very polluted. This was because a lot of untreated sewage was dumped directly into the channel below the river. But now, thanks to the Glina Wastewater Station, the water quality is much better.
In Bucharest, the river is split into two parts vertically. The lower part, beneath the river floor, is a channel that carries the city's sewage. These two flows join back together when they leave Bucharest. There are now river plants and fish living in the upper part of the river. Sometimes, you can even see people fishing on its banks.
The Glina Wastewater Station has greatly improved the water quality. It opened on October 10, 2011. It is the first sewage treatment plant for Bucharest. It can clean up to 10 m3/s (350 cu ft/s) of water. A second plant, which will clean even more water, is planned for the future.
Rivers Joining the Dâmbovița
Many smaller rivers flow into the Dâmbovița. These are called its tributaries. Here are some of them, listed from the source of the Dâmbovița to its mouth:
- On the left side: Valea Vladului, Berevoiu, Luțele Mari, Luțele Mici, Valea lui Aron (Comisu), Valea Comisului, Pârâul Nemțoaicelor, Răchita, Valea lui Stanciu, Valea Turcilor, Tămașul, Valea Dragoslăvenilor, Valea lui Ivan, Valea Largă, Valea Seacă, Valea Speriatei, Valea Gruiului, Berila, Dâmbovicioara, Valea Orățiilor, Valea Cheii, Ghimbav, Valea Luncii, Valea Caselor, Hotarul, Olăneasca, Valea Runcului, Valea Jocii, Valea Bădenilor, Valea Grecului, Valea lui Coman, Valea Chiliilor, Valea Pleșei, Valea Măgurii, Valea Vlazilor, Valea Ulmului, Valea Largă, Râul Alb, Gârlița Satului, Ilfov, Bâldana, Colentina, Pasărea
- On the right side: Colții lui Andrei, Izvorul Foișorului, Valea Barbului, Izvorul Hotarului, Pârâul Larg, Valea lui Aron (Dracsin), Bălțatul, Dracsin, Cascue, Pârâul Căciulelor, Valea Șaului, Clăbucet, Oncioaia, Valea Arșiței, Râușor, Valea Frasinului, Stoeneasca, Mușcel, Aninoasa, Câlnău, Gruiu
Towns and Villages Along the River
The Dâmbovița river flows through many communes, towns, and cities. Here are some of them: Rucăr, Dragoslavele, Stoenești, Malu cu Flori, Cândești, Vulcana-Băi, Voinești, Mănești, Dragomirești, Lucieni, Nucet, Conțești, Lungulețu, Chiajna, Bucharest (city), Plătărești, Vasilați, Budești (town).
Gallery
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Dâmbovița in Bucharest, painted by Amedeo Preziosi in 1868
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How the Dâmbovița was changed in Bucharest (1880s)
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The Dâmbovița watermills outside Bucharest in 1837, with Dealul Spirii in the background
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The Dâmbovița and the Bucharest Tribunal building (1901)
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A view of the Dâmbovița in Bucharest
See also
In Spanish: Río Dâmbovița para niños
