The Lika is a river in

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capi ...

which gives its name to the

Lika Lika () is a traditional region of Croatia proper, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east b ...

region. It is long and it has a basin with an area of . Its average discharge at the measurement station in Bilaj (covering 225 km² of the basin) is 7.33 m³/s, and it can go completely dry. It is known as a sinking river because at the end of its course, it flows into a series of

ponor A ponor is a natural opening where surface water enters into underground passages; they may be found in karst landscapes where the geology and the geomorphology is typically dominated by porous limestone rock. Ponors can drain stream or lake wate ...

s or swallow-holes and disappears from the surface. The Lika River rises near the village of Kukljić at the foot of the

Velebit Velebit (; it, Alpi Bebie) is the largest, though not the highest, mountain range in Croatia. The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior. Velebit begins in the nor ...

Mountains, flows in a northwesterly direction past the town of Gospić, enters and leaves Lake Krušćica, and continues to the northwest until it sinks into the

karst topography Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

at ponors near Lipovo Polje.

References

Bonacci, Ognjen and Andric, Ivo. carsologica.zrc-sazu.si ''Sinking Karst Rivers Hydrology: Case of the Lika and Gacka (Croatia)''
Rivers of Croatia Landforms of Lika-Senj County {{Croatia-river-stub