Rivers on Mallorca

[sws97sdg]

I was lead to believe there are no rivers on the island, but passed this looking at houses last trip, it flows past the animal refuge as well, any ideas, is it a river, stream or just a spring flowing? You can see its clearly flowing!

. by sws97sdg, on Flickr

 

[Jonsey]

I recognise this spot from my cycling jaunts along the country roads around Pollenca and PP. In fact, SWSetc...(!), this stream/river passes just behind the Hotel Llenaire that you recently photographed. At this point it's called the Torrent de la Vall Marc. If you look at Google Earth you can see the river course and the abundant green growth along its path so I guess it delivers enough water to keep those trees growing! However, further BACK,'upstream', it's fed by the Torrent de Sant Jordi, which we know in summer is totally dry. Therefore, I guess there must be some spring that 'sprouts a leak', as it were, as there's always a fair bit of water even in the hot months of July/August. Mind you, what do I know. I'm no David Attenborough!

 

[cumberland8]

You are spot on its on the back roads to Pollensa from the bay, I often purloin a few grapes & figs then cycle to this river or beck as Cumbrians know them & sit by it for an hour, the wildlife is fantastic as they drop in for a sup.

 

[sws97sdg]

I recognise this spot from my cycling jaunts along the country roads around Pollenca and PP. In fact, SWSetc...(!), this stream/river passes just behind the Hotel Llenaire that you recently photographed. At this point it's called the Torrent de la Vall Marc. If you look at Google Earth you can see the river course and the abundant green growth along its path so I guess it delivers enough water to keep those trees growing! However, further BACK,'upstream', it's fed by the Torrent de Sant Jordi, which we know in summer is totally dry. Therefore, I guess there must be some spring that 'sprouts a leak', as it were, as there's always a fair bit of water even in the hot months of July/August. Mind you, what do I know. I'm no David Attenborough!

Just SWS Jonsey is fine! Thats probably it, it is headed across towards the wetlands so it could even feed into there, next time we have bikes I will follow its course and see where it leads to. I saw one of the many fincas, which we are looking for, had a hose down into it so they must be taking water out of it for their land.

 

[sws97sdg]

In fact following on from Mike's Google map link, here is where it comes out on the coast road, been over it many a time and didn't realise, its a torrent in the winter coming down from the mountains, and must have a spring feeding it in summer!

https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=santa...ffgN3pSDj_Mys_60fw&cbp=11,261.66,,0,11.4&z=15

 

[pescador2009]

Re: Rivers on Mallorca.
Quite an interesting subject. But I think you are correct in your original thoughts that there aren’t really any ‘rivers’ in Mallorca; although there are many ‘torrents’ which are seasonal streams / drainage channels taking water from the south facing slopes of the tramuntana mountain range down to the sea as well as general storm water from seasonal heavy rainfall, which Mallorca and PP (as many of us know) definitely get.

Near PP on the way round the bay to Alcudia and just south / west of Alcudia are the Albufereta and the Albufera Nature Reserves (as well as the smaller La Gola Reserve in PP itself). These are all fed by ‘torrents’ and also in the case of Albufera by springs from subterranean aquifers. At Albufera the ‘torrents’ and many small drainage canals (drainage ditches) gather together to form the Gran Canal which is a substantial ‘river’ which leads out to sea.
At Albufereta and La Gola we have similar but on a smaller scale, but again leading to reasonably substantial canals/rivers leading out to sea.

These substantial amounts of water are the full basis of the individual Nature Reserves and all three that I’ve mentioned retain their water throughout the year but the water depths may vary. Albufera itself was, I believe, canalised in the early 1900’s with a view to thoroughly draining the area for development. Fortunately this did not happen and it has become one of the most important wetlands in Europe. Great numbers of migrating birds are accommodated as well as many varieties of fish, though eels and grey mullet are prevalent.

The ‘Torrent de Pareis’ on the northern coast - east of Soller - can also appear like a river running out to sea and can be quite violent after heavy rainfall as it passes through the gorge along its path; but after dry spells it can look very innocuous.

So the ‘rivers’ in Mallorca are really ‘torrents’ or ‘canals’ which are all very important parts of the islands surface water drainage system.

Good for SWS to bring up this interesting subject along with the comments from Jonsey and Cumberland.

 

[El Gordo]

In fact following on from Mike's Google map link, here is where it comes out on the coast road, been over it many a time and didn't realise, its a torrent in the winter coming down from the mountains, and must have a spring feeding it in summer!

https://maps.google.ie/maps?q=santa...ffgN3pSDj_Mys_60fw&cbp=11,261.66,,0,11.4&z=15

We have just cycled up from the bay along the river. Calle Volentina, just after the bridge over the San Jordi, is the route to take. A large crane bird was by the edge, just before the bridge at the junction of Voluntina and Llenaire road. Further up it reappears at the ford (although I have never seen water going over it) near the Animal Refuge.
I think it's called Torrent De San Marc further up near the Roman Bridge but becomes the San Jorbdi at the main road.

A lovely area to do some easy cycling......even got "er indoors" out on a bike!!