The Aragvi ( ka,
แแ แแแแ) and its basin are in
Georgia on the southern slopes of the
Caucasus Mountains. The river is long, and its basin covers an area of . The ground strata are mostly
sandstone,
slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
, and
limestone. The
Zhinvali Dam and its 130 MW
hydro-electric power station generate much of Georgia's power, and its construction in 1986 formed the Zhinvali Reservoir, upon whose north-western shores rises
Ananuri castle with its 17th-century Church of the Assumption.
Confusion over name and course
Given its etymology (see below; the word simply means "river"), the exact course of the Aragvi River is the source of some confusion. The river has several important tributaries, all called "aragvi":
The Tetri Aragvi ("White Aragvi") flows from
Gudauri down to the town of
Pasanauri, where it is joined by the Shavi Aragvi ("Black Aragvi"), the main river of
Gudamakari to the north-east. Together, these two rivers continue as, simply, "the Aragvi"; from Pasanauri, the Aragvi flows south-east to the
Jinvali Reservoir, where it is joined by the
Pshav Aragvi (itself fed by the
Khevsur
Khevsurians ( ka, แฎแแแกแฃแ แแแ) are an ethnic sub-group of Georgians, mainly living in Khevsureti, on both sides of the Caucasus Mountain Chain in the watersheds of the rivers Aragvi and Argun. There are some villages in Khevi, ...
Aragvi)
[ ka, แฎแแแกแฃแ แแแแก แแ แแแแ, ''khevsuretis aragvi''. Source: approx. 42ยฐ33'45.75"N, 44ยฐ57'12.78"E] before flowing south to merge with the
Mtkvari by
Mtskheta
Mtskheta ( ka, แแชแฎแแแ, tr ) is a city in Mtskheta-Mtianeti province of Georgia. It is one of the oldest cities in Georgia as well as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the World. Itis located approximately north of T ...
, Eastern Georgia's ancient capital just north of
Tbilisi.
Etymology
See
แแ แแแแ for the origin of the name.
Use and infrastructure
The high dam by
Zhinvali
250px, Zhinvali reservoir
Zhinvali ( ka, แแแแแแแ) is a townlet in Georgia, Dusheti Municipality (Mtskheta-Mtianeti region), on river Aragvi.
It has one of the largest hydroelectric power stations in Georgia.
Climate
See also
* A ...
is one of the largest in Georgia. Besides generating up to 130 MW of electricity, the waters of the Aragvi feed down a pipe to provide drinking water in Tbilisi and to irrigate fields.
Gallery
File:Zhinvali reservoir.jpg, Zhinvali reservoir
File:Ananuridc.jpg, Ananuri castle
File:Zhinvali Dam.jpg, Hydro-electric dam on the Aragvi
File:Aragvi_Source_July2009.jpg, The Source of The Aragvi River to the North of Gudauri
Notes
Rivers of Georgia (country)
{{Georgia-river-stub