Hydrographical touristic potentials of Konjic municipality
The Neretva river
The Neretva river is the largest tributary of the Adriatic Sea from the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It rises above the village ”Luke” near the saddle ”Gredelj” between the mountains Zelengora and Zivanj at 1905 metres high. With its original drainage system and valley, the Neretva river has deeply penetrated the southeastern Bosnian highlands of Zelengore and Lelija in the south and Treskavica in the north. The Neretva river has deeply subdivided the above-mentioned mountain morphostructures, thus creating basic hydrological predispositions for intensive underground and surface drainage of stormwater.
The Neretva valley in its upper reaches is composite, which means that it is composed of narrows and expansions which in one sector are simple or normal and in the other narrow, slippery or complex valleys. The valley of the Neretva river to Konjic is called ”Zupa”. According to the river fall of the Neretva, it is smaller in Zupa, and the river valley is much wider than in the upper stream. A larger extension occurs at Glavaticevo. From Ulog to Konjic, the Neretva receives to the right shore the river Ljuta which flows from Treskavica and the Rakitnica river from Visocica and Bjelasnica, while the left tributaries are Jezernica, Bukovica, Sistica, Bijela, Krupac. The valleys of the Neretva tributaries are deep and steep. The Neretva River is a fast mountain river with a great fall of 11.8 m/km from its source to Konjic.
The Rakitnica river
The Rakitnica river is a right tributary of the Neretva river, which has cut through the canyon valley between Bjelasnica in the northwest and Visocica in the southeast. The total length of the stream is about 32 kilometers. The river and the village of Rakitnica were named because of the willow called ”rakita”, which grows in the upper stream. The mouth of Rakitnica in Neretva is located at 324 meters high.
The Rakitnica river basin is clearly separated into two morphologically distinct parts. In the upper, populated part of the basin, we distinguish several morphological elements that are characterized by their specific appearance and genesis. Thus, on the southwestern part of the basin stands out the distinctive ridge of mountain Visocica, which is represented by a series of peaks in altitudes from 1850 m to 1950 m high. In the Konjic municipality, Rakitnica River flows into four smaller watercourses: strem ”Studeni”, stream ”Peruca”, tributary Medjedja, and the left tributary Grusca. According to the geomorphologist, the canyon was formed about 10 million years ago, and it is the deepest canyon in Europe after the Tara River Canyon. Today, Rakitnica Canyon is a true tourist attraction and it represents a true challenge for many adventurers who are ready to overcome all obstacles and reach their final destination.
The Tresanica river
Tresanica is a right tributary of the Neretva and it springs below the Bitovnja mountain. The river Tresanica is separated in its upper stream, so that the river Zujevina flows into it, ie it flows into the river Bosnia, so it belongs to the Black Sea basin, while the Tresanica river flows into the Neretva, the town settlement of Luka and thus belongs to the Adriatic basin. This is the so-called bifurcation, which is a kind of river attraction.
After an initial few kilometers, the stream turns to the west into the village Bradina, where it receives the tributary Duboki Potok, and then flows to south into the deep valley below the settlements: Zukici, Sunji, Podorasac, Kanjina, Zivasnica and Ovcari. At Zivasnica, Dzepski stream flows into it.
The Konjicka Ljuta river
Konjicka Ljuta, Mala Ljuta or river Ljuta is a river near the town of Konjic, the right tributary of the Neretva River. The Ljuta River springs under the slopes of mountains Visocica and Bitovnja and runs its north-south route through the valley, which the river made through the village of Ljuta, in its short 4-5 km course. In her short journey, Ljuta doesn’t receive tributaries. At the mouth of Ljuta in the Neretva river is the well-known fish farm and military complex Atomic Shelter, known as the object D-0 ARK.
The Neretvica river
The Neretvica river is the right tributary of the Neretva. It flows into the artificial Jablanicko Lake near the settlement Buturovic Polje. It is one of the most important tributaries of the Neretva river. The Neretva river flows under Vitreusa and flows east, then turns slightly to the south, where it receives the Otunski stream and the stream called Prolaz, and turns west. After meandering at the mouth of the Prolaz, Neretvica receives few tributaries, Obascica from the southeast, and from the north Mala Neretvica and Zagrejcica, then at Salakovica turns to south, where it flows through Gornji and Donji Cazanj and receives the Govornik tributary. Then it flows alongside of the villages of Luksije, Parsovici, Donji Prijeslop, Podhum, Gostovici, and flows through Buturovic Polje.
The Bascica river
The Bascica river springs below Rakov Laz, at 1 400 m hight. The valley is narrowed in some places so the path that is lead along the river is cut into the canyon. This path often becomes a true trail in the summer for hikers and cyclists who hike to the summit of the Prenj mountain plateau. The canyon in some places reaches a depth of 800 metres. Bascica often makes cascades and waterfalls, and flows into the Neretva river near Celebici, at 280 m hight.
The Bascica river flows directly into the Jablanicko Lake reservoir, which was created by the partition of the Neretva river in Jablanica in 1954. It is also the longest left tributary of the Neretva river. This river has a very large erosive power, so over the course of Idbar it has made incredible cuttings. Experts have taken some steps over the years to stop the deposition of erosive material at the mouth of the Neretva river and enter the reservoir, reducing the amount of water.