The Tissa River (Tisza, Tisza, Theiss) is one of the main waterways of Central Europe and the largest tributary of the Danube. With a relatively short length of 966 kilometers, it has a large catchment area of ​​157,186 km². It flows through the territory of Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia (along a very short section of the border), Hungary and Serbia.
Where is the Tissa River
Geographically, Tissa with numerous tributaries is located in a wide Hungarian valley (Alfeld), stretching for thousands of kilometers. From the west, its basin is bounded by the Danube, and from the north, east and south by the wide horseshoe of the Carpathian mountains.
Due to this relief, the river is full of water due to frequent precipitation in the mountains and low flow velocity after it enters the valley. Before the construction of the complex of dams and dams in the region, destructive floods and flooding of vast territories were frequent.
Characteristic
The hydrology of the Tissa River is highly dependent on seasonality and rainfall intensity. During spring floods, the gutter reaches 2,000-3,000 m 3 / s, and in summer, on the contrary, it is so low that in many places the channel can be wade. According to scientists, the average annual flow varies within 800 m 3 / s. Shipping is possible during the “high water” period.
The flora and fauna of Tissa is quite rich. Until the middle of the 20th century, fishing on the river was considered one of the best in Europe. However, the development of industry and the intensive use of fertilizers and chemicals in agriculture led to a decrease in biological resources. The ichthyofauna is typical for the eastern regions of the continent: perch, pike, pike perch, roach, ide, rattan, common carp, catfish and other fish. Of the rare species, we note grayling, me, trout, Danube salmon.
Ukrainian site
The Tissa River is born in Transcarpathia, four kilometers above the town of Rakhiv, at the confluence of two mountain streams. Then, in a small stream, it descends along the bottom of a narrow valley to the south, bypassing such settlements as Yasinyi, Sourdok, Kvasy, Balin Rakhov, Pleso and Bulin. Then, “breaking through” through the Khust Gate (a narrow passage between two volcanic ridges), sharply turns to the west, forming a natural 40-kilometer border between Ukraine and Romania. This area has important historical significance - an ancient path was laid here through the Carpathians. And today, there is a road and railroad connecting the Transcarpathian and Ivano-Frankivsk regions.
In the upper reaches, the floodplain is absent or represents a narrow 30-60-meter strip. Intermountain gorge-like areas are characteristic, where the Tissa River narrows, forming rapid rapids. Coming to the Transcarpathian lowland, the flow calms down, the channel branches, forming numerous islands. In this section, the river receives many abundant tributaries:
- Shopurka
- Isa
- Vis
- Teresva;
- Tumbling;
- Rika.
Such cities as Sighetu-Marmatiei, Sapanta, Tyachev, Khust, Vinogradov stand in her way. In the area of ​​Tisabec, the 25-kilometer Ukrainian-Hungarian border section begins. Then Tissa “dives” into the territory of Hungary in order to re-enter Ukraine again. Passing the important transport hub - the city of Chop, the river finally leaves the territory of the country.
Hungarian section
Where does the Tissa River flow through Hungary? In the Zahony area, the water flow changes direction from west to southwest. The right bank on a small 5-kilometer stretch belongs to Slovakia, and then Tissa completely goes to Hungarian territory.
Breaking into a flat wide plain, the river slows down the course. Previously, this area was characterized by numerous branches, elders, lakes and swamps. For millennia, the region’s population has suffered from heavy floods, seasonal spills and floods that claimed thousands of lives and destroyed crops and real estate. In the 19th century, the Austro-Hungarian authorities carried out serious land reclamation works to straighten the channel and regulate the flow. Dams, dams, and reservoirs were built. The largest of the latter is the man-made lake Tissa. According to its characteristics, it is comparable to the famous Balaton, therefore it is a popular tourist destination.
Having walked 80 km along Alfeld (eastern part of the Hungarian plain), the Tissa River receives the full-flowing tributary of Bodrog and changes direction from southwest to south, and then west. This section is very winding: on a 20-kilometer stretch, the actual length of the channel exceeds 40 km. This is a famous wine region where excellent Tokaj wines are produced.
In the area of ​​the village of Tisabor, the stream again rushes to the southwest for hundreds of kilometers, up to the large city of Szolnok. Further, the path of Tissa lies south, to the borders with Serbia. The largest tributaries in the Hungarian section are:
- Bodrog
- Chaillot
- Keresh;
- Marosh.
Serbian site
Where does the Tissa River flow in Serbia? Bypassing the bordering hundred thousandth Hungarian city of Szeged, the water flow enters the territory of the autonomous province of Vojvodina. Reclamation work here was not carried out so actively, so the bed is winding, zigzag-like.
Cities such as Kanjiza, Novi Knezhevac, Senta, Padej, Ada, Mol, Bechei, Titel and Kchananin are located along the banks. There are few tributaries in this section, the largest of which is Bega. Not far from the settlement of Old Slank (35 km above Belgrade) Tissa merges with the Danube.