Tech (river)
The Tech (Catalan: Tec) is a river in southeastern France, close to the French-Spanish border. It runs through a valley in the department of the Pyrénées-Orientales, in the former Roussillon. Its drainage basin is the southernmost river basin of Metropolitan France.[1]
| Tech | |
|---|---|
 Pont du Diable, spanning the Tech, in Céret | |
   | |
| Location | |
| Country | France |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| - location | Pyrenees |
| - elevation | ±2,500 m (8,200 ft) |
| Mouth | |
| - location | Mediterranean Sea |
| - coordinates | 42°35′24″N 3°2′43″E / 42.59000°N 3.04528°E |
| Length | 84.5 km (52.5 mi) |
| Basin size | 750 km2 (290 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| - average | 9.6 m3/s (340 cu ft/s) |
The river gives its name to two communes in the department: Le Tech and Arles-sur-Tech.
Geography
changeThe source of the Tech is on the eastern side of Roc Colom in the Pyrenees at an elevation of 2,345 metres (7,694 feet), in the commune of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste.[2]
It flows generally from southwest to northeast,[2] first through the valley of Vallespir just to Ceret, and then through the Plain of Rosillon.
The Tech flows into the Mediterranean Sea at the Natural Reserve of Mas Larrieu, also called "Mouth of the Tech", to the north of the town of Argelès-sur-Mer.[2]
The Tech river is 84.1 kilometres (52.3 miles) long and its drainage basin has an area of approximately 721 square kilometres (278 square miles).[3] The basin is composed of two areas that are quite different:[1]
- An area of mountains, from the source to the town of Ceret, with forests on the mountains.
- A flat area, from Ceret to the sea. Here the river flows through the Plain de Rosillon with many farms where different crops are grown.
The flow of the Tech river was observed over a period of 38 years (1979-2013) in Argelès-sur-Mer, touristic town near the mouth of the river.[4]
The discharge of the river at this location is 8.54 cubic metres (302 cubic feet) per second.[4]
Both the valley of the Tech and its mouth are part of Natura 2000, an ecological network of protected areas in the European Union.
Tributaries
changeThe Tech has 22 tributaries; the longest tributaries are:[3]
- Right tributaries:
- Lamanère, 15.7 kilometres (9.8 miles)
- Maureillas, 16.1 kilometres (10.0 miles)
- Tanyari, 13.3 kilometres (8.3 miles)
- Left tributaries
- Coumelade, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles)
- Riuferrer, 17.7 kilometres (11.0 miles)
- Ample, 15.7 kilometres (9.8 miles)
Cantons along the river
change
The Tech is entirely in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales. It crosses two arrondissements, six cantons and 25 communes. The two arrondissements are Céret and Perpignan.
As for the cantons, the Tech has its source in the canton of Prats-de-Mollo-la-Preste, and then flows through the cantons of Arles-sur-Tech, Canton Ceret, Thuir Canton, Canton Elne and finally Argelès-sur-Mer.
Landmark
changeThe Pont del Diable ("Devil's bridge") or Pont Vieux ("Old bridge") at Céret over the river Tech.
Gallery
change-
Salt de Maria Valenta fall, Arles-sur-Tech -
Confluence of the Coumelade and the Tech -
Le Tech river, Céret -
Le Pont du Diable (The Devil's bridge), Céret
References
change
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Contexte géographique" (in French). La Vallée du Tech. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Géoportail - Le Tech" (in French). Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière (IGN). Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Fiche cours d'eau - Le Tech (Y02-0400)" (in French). SANDRE - Portail national d'accès aux référentiels sur l'eau. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "hydro.eaufrance.fr (Station: Y0284060, Option: Synthèse)". Archived from the original on 2015-02-19. Retrieved 2013-07-22.