The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan,

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna or ) is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of w ...

of southwest

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

and northern

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...

– a length of , of which is in Spain (

Val d'Aran Aran (; ; ) (previously officially called in Occitan Val d'Aran, Catalan: ''Vall d'Aran'', Spanish: ''Valle de Arán'') is an administrative entity (formerly considered a comarca) in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, consisting of the Aran Valley, in ...

);Le bassin versant de la Garonne
Syndicat Mixte d'Études & d'Aménagement de la Garonne the total length extends to if one includes the Gironde estuary between the river and the sea. Its basin area is , which increases to if the Dordogne River, which flows from the east and joins the Garonne at Bec d'Ambès to form the Gironde estuary, is included.

Umayyad The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...

and Aquitanian forces fought the

Battle of the River Garonne The Battle of the River Garonne, also known as the Battle of Bordeaux,Matthew Bennett ''The Hutchinson Dictionary of Ancient & Medieval Warfare'' 1579581161 1998 p319 "In 732 a large army of (70,000-80,000) men led by Abd ar-Rahman defeated the Aq ...

in 732 beside the river near present-day Bordeaux.

Etymology

The name derives from ''Garumna'', a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

ized version of the Aquitanian name meaning "stony river" ("kar" relating to "stone" and "-ona" relating to "river").

Geography

Sources

The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the

Aran Valley Aran (; ; ) (previously officially called in Occitan Val d'Aran, Catalan: ''Vall d'Aran'', Spanish: ''Valle de Arán'') is an administrative entity (formerly considered a comarca) in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, consisting of the Aran Valley, in are ...

in the Spanish

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...

, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the ''Uelh deth Garona'' at Plan de Beret (), the Ratera-Saboredo cirque ), or the slopes of Pic Aneto (Salterillo-Barrancs ravine according to the season). The ''Uelh deth Garona'' at above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...

has been traditionally considered as the source of the Garonne. From this point a brook (called the ''Beret-Garona'') runs for until the bed of the main upper Garonne valley. The river runs for another until the French border at ''

Pont de Rei The Pont de Rei ( en, King's Bridge, french: Pont du Roi, oc, Eth Pònt de Rei) is a bridge and border crossing over the river Garonne that connects the Aran Valley of Spain with the Haute-Garonne department of France. The road on the French sid ...

'', in total. The Ratera-Saboredo cirque is the head of the upper Garonne valley, and its upper lake at above sea level is the origin of the Ruda-Garona river, running for until the confluence with the Beret-Garona brook, and another until the French border at ''Pont del Rei'', in total. At the confluence, the Ruda-Garona carries of water. tp://oph.chebro.es:2121/BulkDATA/DOCUMENTACION/DirectivaMarco/Garona/DocumPrevia%202008.pdf/ref> The Ratera-Saboredo cirque has been pointed by many researchers as the origin of the Garonne.Faura i Sans (M.); Sobre hidrología subterránea en los Pirineos Centrales de Aragón y Cataluña. Bol. de la Real Soc. de Hist. Nat, vom. XVI, pgs. 353-354. Madrid, 1916. The third thesis holds that the river rises on the slopes of Pic Aneto at above sea level and flows by way of a

sinkhole A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...

known as the '' Forau de Aigualluts'' () through the

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

of the Tuca Blanca de Pomèro and a resurgence in the Val dera Artiga above the Aran Valley in the Spanish Pyrenees. This underground route was suggested by the geologist Ramond de Carbonnières in 1787, but there was no confirmation until 1931, when

caver Caving – also known as spelunking in the United States and Canada and potholing in the United Kingdom and Ireland – is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology i ...

Norbert Casteret poured fluorescein dye into the flow and noted its emergence a few hours later away at ''Uelhs deth Joèu'' ("Jove's eyes" ) in the Artiga de Lin on the other side of the mountain. From Aigualluts to the confluence with the main river at the bed of the upper Garonne valley at above sea level, the Joèu has run for (16 kilometres more to get to the French border), carrying of water, while the main river is carrying . Despite the lack of universal agreement upon definition for determining a stream's

source Source may refer to: Research * Historical document * Historical source * Source (intelligence) or sub source, typically a confidential provider of non open-source intelligence * Source (journalism), a person, publication, publishing institute o ...

, the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...

, the

National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, an ...

, and the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

agree that a stream's source should be considered as the most distant point (along watercourses from the river mouth) in the

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

from which water runs. The Ratera-Saboredo cirque is the "most distant point (along watercourses from the river mouth) in the drainage basin from which water runs", and the source of the Garonne, according to the United States Geological Survey, the National Geographic Society, and the Smithsonian Institution convention upon determining a stream's source.

Course

The Garonne follows the Aran Valley northwards into France, flowing via

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Pa ...

and Agen towards

, where it meets the Gironde estuary. The Gironde flows into the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

( Bay of Biscay). Along its course, the Garonne is joined by three other major rivers: the Ariège, the Tarn, and the Lot. Just after Bordeaux, the Garonne meets the

Dordogne Dordogne ( , or ; ; oc, Dordonha ) is a large rural department in Southwestern France, with its prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, it is name ...

at the Bec d'Ambès, forming the Gironde estuary, which after approximately empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Other tributaries include the Save and the Gers. The Garonne is one of the few rivers in the world that exhibit a tidal bore. Surfers and jet skiers could ride the tidal bore at least as far as the village of Cambes, from the Atlantic, and even further upstream to Cadillac, although the tidal bore appears and disappears in response to changes in the channel bathymetry. In 2010 and 2012, some detailed field studies were conducted in the Garonne's Arcins channel between Arcins Island and the right bank close to Lastrene township. A striking feature of the field data sets was the large and rapid fluctuations in turbulent velocities and turbulent stresses during the tidal bore and flood flow.

European sea sturgeon conservation

The European sea sturgeon (Acipenser sturio), also known as the Atlantic sturgeon or common sturgeon, is now a Critically Endangered species (IUCN) status Status iucn CR icon

. This species of sturgeon can reach a length of , weigh up to and can reach an age of 100 years. Previously found on most coasts of Europe, it has now become so rare that they only breed in the Garonne river basin in France. Conservation projects are under way to save this fish from

extinction Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

via species reintroduction from aquaculture, with the first releases having been made in 1995. Garonne river

Towns along the river

(Spain):

Vielha Vielha e Mijaran (; ca, Viella – Mitg-Aran ) is a municipality in Aran, Lleida, Spain. It was created in 1970 by the merger of the municipalities of Arròs e Vila, Betlan, Escunhau, Gausac, Vielha and Vilac: some of the former municipalities re ...

Bossòst Bossòst () is a small Pyrenean village and municipality located in the Aran Valley, province of Lleida, Catalonia, Northern Spain. Situated on the left bank of the river Garona, the village is bordered by Les, Vilamòs, Arres and France ...

* Haute-Garonne (31): Saint-Gaudens, Muret,

Tarn-et-Garonne Tarn-et-Garonne (; oc, Tarn e Garona ) is a department in the Occitania region in Southern France. It is traversed by the rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name. The area was originally part of the former provinces of Quercy and ...

(82):

Castelsarrasin Castelsarrasin (; oc, Los Sarrasins) is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in Occitanie region of France. The inhabitants are called ''Castelsarrasinois''. It is the second most populous commune in Tarn-et-Garonne after Montauban. I ...

* Lot-et-Garonne (47): Agen,

Marmande Marmande (; in Occitan, ''Marmanda'') is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne ''département'' in south-western France. Geography Marmande is located 35 km north-west of Agen, on the southern railway from Bordeaux to Sète. The town is situa ...

, Aiguillon * Gironde (33): Langon,

Main tributaries

Following the flow of the river, from source to mouth: * Pique * Ourse *

Neste Neste Oyj (international name: Neste Corporation; former names Neste Oil Corporation and Fortum Oil and Gas Oy) is an oil refining and marketing company located in Espoo, Finland. It produces, refines and markets oil products, provides engi ...

* Salat * Volp *

Arize The Arize (; oc, Arisa) is a river of France, a right tributary of the Garonne. It arises at in the massif of Arize, in the Pyrenees, in the department of Ariège. The Arize is long and flows into the Garonne at Carbonne. In its first it ...

* Louge * Ariège *

Touch In physiology, the somatosensory system is the network of neural structures in the brain and body that produce the perception of touch ( haptic perception), as well as temperature ( thermoception), body position (proprioception), and pain. It ...

Hers-Mort The Hers-Mort (; ; the "Dead Hers", as opposed to the faster-flowing Hers-Vif, or "Live Hers") is a long river in southern France, a right-bank tributary of the Garonne. Its average flow rate is . The Hers-Mort rises in the Lauragais region, near ...

* Save * Gimone * Tarn * Arrats *

Barguelonne The Barguelonne () is a long river in the Lot (department), Lot, Tarn-et-Garonne and Lot-et-Garonne ''departments of France, départements'', southwestern France. Its source is near Terry, a hamlet in Pern, Lot, Pern. It flows generally southwest. ...

Auroue The Auroue is a long river in the Gers, Lot-et-Garonne and Tarn-et-Garonne '' départements'', south western France. Its source is at Crastes, northeast of Auch. It flows generally north. It is a left tributary of the Garonne into which it f ...

Séoune The Séoune (french: la Séoune) is a long river in the Lot, Tarn-et-Garonne and Lot-et-Garonne ''départements'', southwestern France. Its source is at Sauzet. It flows generally southwest. It is a right tributary of the Garonne into which it ...

* Gers * Baïse * Lot * Avance *

Dropt The Drot or Dropt () is a river in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It is a right tributary to the Garonne. It is long. Geography The source of the Dropt is located near Capdrot in the Dordogne. The drainage basin covers the area between the riv ...

* Ciron * Gat mort * Devèze * Jalle de Blanquefort

Navigation

The Garonne plays an important role in inland shipping. The river not only allows seagoing vessels to reach the port of Bordeaux but also forms part of the Canal des Deux Mers, linking the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

and the

From the ocean, ships pass through the Gironde estuary up to the mouth of the Garonne (to the right of the Dordogne when sailing upstream). Ships continue on the tidal river Garonne up to the ''Pont de Pierre'' (stone bridge) in Bordeaux. Inland vessels continue upstream to Castets-en-Dorthe, where the Canal de Garonne joins the river. Prior to the building of the Canal lateral à la Garonne, between 1838 and 1856, shallow-draught boats used the Garonne itself as far as

. However, navigation on the upper river was very uncertain, and this stretch of the river is no longer considered

navigable A body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and calm enough for a water vessel (e.g. boats) to pass safely. Such a navigable water is called a ''waterway'', and is preferably with few obstructions against di ...

. Instead the lateral canal takes boats through 53

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

s to the town of Toulouse, where the canal meets the Canal du Midi.

Hydrography

The upstream part of the river, upstream from Toulouse depends primarily on snow and snow melt. The lower/downstream part is rain fed as well as its main tributaries. The Garonne also feeds several channels/canals: * The Saint-Martory canal – Saint-Martory water intake takes 10 m³/s from the river; * The canal latéral à la Garonne – with the water intake in Toulouse by the Brienne canal. SANDRE assigns to the Garonne a hydrographic identity number 0 --- 00000 and the generic code O --- 000014,15.

Floods

File:2022-01-11 Garonne River Overflow 5472.webm, Flood of January 2022 in Toulouse. A

flood A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...

of the Garonne in 1930 broke the dike in Thivras (Marmande). In Toulouse, the Garonne has been the cause of many floods, especially since its left bank is inhabited. The earliest records of floods are from around 1177. It is also recorded to have flooded in 1220, 1258, 1430, 1523, 1536 and in 1589, 1608, 1658, 1673, 1675, 1709, 1712, 1727, 1750, 1772, 1788, 1804 and 1810. In 1772, the Garonne reached 8 meters 50. In the recent centuries, in 1827, 1835, 1855 and 1856/7. In Toulouse, in 1827, the water level of the Garonne rose four meters above the ordinary level and filled the arches of the Pont de Pierre and

Pont Neuf The Pont Neuf (, "New Bridge") is the oldest standing bridge across the river Seine in Paris, France. It stands by the western (downstream) point of the Île de la Cité, the island in the middle of the river that was, between 250 and 225 BC ...

. In 1835, the Garonne rose to five meters above normal and 35 meters above the low water level and flowed through the four arcs of the Pont de Pierre. Flood of the Garonne in 1835: 7,50 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 1855: 7.25 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 1875: 9,70 m to Toulouse Pont-Neuf (or 8m32 according to vigicrue). Flood of the Garonne in 1879: 4,87 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 1890: 3.30 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 1900: 4,00 m in Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 1905: 4.24 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf Crete of 1927 in Aquitaine, particularly imposing after the confluence of the Garonne with the Lot (of which it remained raw reference), insignificant upstream18. Flood of the Garonne in 1952: 4,57 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 1977: 4,31 m in Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 2000: 4.38 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf Flood of the Garonne in 2004: 3,52 m at Toulouse Pont-Neuf In 1777, the Garonne suffered an extraordinary flood to the point that the priest of Bourdelles took the trouble to retranscribe the event, at the end of the acts of the year, in the parish register of baptisms, marriages and deaths.

References

External links

Garonne and Gironde estuary
detailed information on places, ports and moorings on the canal, by the author of ''Inland Waterways of France'', Imray
Navigation details for 80 French rivers and canals
(French waterways website section
History and real-time water heights of Garonne river and main tributaries
{{Authority control Rivers of Catalonia Rivers of Spain Rivers of France Rivers of Gironde Rivers of Haute-Garonne Rivers of Lot-et-Garonne Rivers of Tarn-et-Garonne Rivers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine Rivers of Occitania (administrative region) International rivers of Europe