The Jabalón River is a river in central
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, serving as the primary left-bank tributary of the
Guadiana River. Originating at a site known as "Los Ojos," approximately 5 km from the town of
Montiel toward the road to
Villanueva de la Fuente, the river flows 161 km through the
Ciudad Real Province
The province of Ciudad Real () is a province in the southwestern part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It is bordered by the provinces of Cuenca, Albacete, Jaén, Córdoba, Badajoz, and Toledo. It is partly located in ...
in an east-to-west direction. It eventually joins the Guadiana River near
Corral de Calatrava after turning north.
Etymology
The origin of the name "Jabalón" is debated. The most likely source is the Arabic word ''Jabal'' or ''Yabal'', meaning "mountain." An alternative theory suggests a more ancient origin, linking it to a
hydronym
A hydronym (from , , "water" and , , "name") is a type of toponym that designates a proper name of a body of water. Hydronyms include the proper names of rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, swamps and marshes, seas and oceans. As a subset of top ...
from
Old European, possibly related to the etymon ''savu'' found in the nearby Amarguillo River and the toponym ''Consaburum'' (
Consuegra
Consuegra is a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. In 2018, the municipality had a population of 10,098 inhabitants. It is 80 km from Ciudad Real and 60 km from Toledo. Consuegra is located in La Man ...
). The river's banks have supported human settlements since prehistoric times, including the Bronze Age, pre-Roman Oretani tribes, Roman villas, Visigothic communities, Arab settlements, and modern populations.
Geography
The Jabalón River flows through the
Campo de Montiel, a region with low permeability due to its Triassic clay geology. From
Valdepeñas onward, it enters the
Campo de Calatrava
Campo de Calatrava is a comarca in the province of Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Ciudad Real, the provincial capital, belongs to the Campo de Calatrava.
A ''Denominación de Origen'' for olive oil takes its name from the comarca. There ...
, characterized by Tertiary and Quaternary alluvial materials.
The river's flow is irregular and often limited due to the region's low rainfall, leading to significant seasonal drying or minimal flow. The river frequently collects wastewater from nearby towns, prompting the creation of the ''Manserja'' consortium to manage water treatment and waste for the municipalities along its course.
Reservoirs
The Jabalón River is impounded by two reservoirs:
* La Cabezuela Reservoir
** Area: 565 ha
** Municipalities:
Valdepeñas and
Torre de Juan Abad
** Ownership: Public Hydraulic Domain
** Capacity: 41 hm³
** Elevation: 763 m above sea level
*La Vega del Jabalón Reservoir
**Area: 629 ha
**Municipalities:
Calzada de Calatrava and
Granátula de Calatrava
**Ownership: Public Hydraulic Domain
**Capacity: 33.4 hm³
**Elevation: 639 m above sea level
References
External links
{{Authority control
Rivers of Castilla–La Mancha