Anoia (river) (original) (raw)

River in Spain

Anoia
The Anoia River in Igualada
Map
Location
Country Spain
Physical characteristics
Source
• location Calaf, Argençola
• elevation 800 metres (2,600 ft)
Mouth
• location Llobregat River in Martorell
Length 68 km (42 mi)
Basin size 929.4 km2 (358.8 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• average 2.37 cubic metres per second (84 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River system Llobregat

The Anoia (Catalan pronunciation: [əˈnɔjə]) is a river in Catalonia, Spain, a tributary of the Llobregat. Most of its course lies within the comarca of the same name. Its has four sources, in the municipalities of Calaf, Sant Martí Sesgueioles, Montmaneu, and Argençola, and these streams join together in Jorba to form the Anoia proper. Major towns along the river include Igualada; Capellades, where it crosses the Pre-Coastal Range; Sant Sadurní d'Anoia; Gelida; and finally Martorell (Baix Llobregat), where it joins the Llobregat from the right.

The Anoia was once a backbone of industry in Catalonia, especially the paper industry. At its height, there were 65 paper mills along the river, particularly in Capellades.[_citation needed_]

As a result of both downstream industry and intensive agriculture in its headwaters, the Anoia became quite polluted. In Igualada, tanneries and textile manufacturing dumped lignin and lime into the river, and in Capellades, the paper and cardboard industry dumped a waste product called "black liquor." Closer to Martorell, the automotive industry added electrolytics, nickel, chromes, and cyanides to the water.[2] Fortunately, improvements in technology and manufacturing processes have reduced the level of pollution in recent years.[2]

  1. ^ Panareda i Clopés, Josep Maria (1996). Resum de geografia física de Catalunya. EUMO. ISBN 8476027567.
  2. ^ a b Solé Badal, Júlia. [ttps://anoiadiari.cat/12-1/mirada-ecologica-riu-anoia-pas-pel-rec/ "Una mirada ecològica al riu Anoia al seu pas pel Rec"] (in Catalan). Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "l'Anoia". Enciclopèdia.cat (in Catalan). Grup Enciclopèdia. Retrieved 12 November 2024.

41°35′6.71″N 1°33′50.5″E / 41.5851972°N 1.564028°E / 41.5851972; 1.564028