Salat (river)

See also: Salat

The Salat is a river south-west of the France which runs in the area of the Couserans, in the departments of the Ariège and the Haute-Garonne. It is an affluent of the the Garonne out of Right Bank.

Geography

Salat takes its source in the the Pyrenees. It is born from new source S with 6 kilometers upstream of the Hameau of Salau common of Couflens, in the solid mass of the Mont Valier, on the northern side of the Mount Rouch (2  858 meters). The general orientation of its course goes from south-east towards the North-West. It crosses the Vallée of Angouls, then crosses the solid mass of Arize, where it traverses the throats of Ribaouto. It passes to Saint-Bosoms and Saint-Lizier, and is thrown in the the Garonne with the Roquefort-on-Garonne meadows of Boussens

Departments and main cities crossed

Principal affluents and tributaries of a tributary

Hydrology

Salat is an extremely abundant river, like all the rivers resulting from the Pyrenean areas. Its flow was observed over one 95 years period (1913-2007), with the Roquefort-on-Garonne, locality located at the level of the confluence of Salat and the Garonne. The catchment area of the river is there of 1  570 km ², i.e. its totality.

Interannual medium flow or module of the river in the Roquefort-on-Garonne east of 42,6 m ³ a second.

Salat presents typical seasonal fluctuations of a mode almost purely nival. Indeed a period ago of high waters of autumn in October - November like usually in the area. The high waters are located at spring, from April at June included and carry the monthly flows on a level located between 58 and 63 m ³ a second (with an in May maximum). These maximum is due to the snow melt. As of June, starts rapid fall followed of low waters of be-autumn which leads the medium flow to its low water level of August with a monthly average of 19,6 m ³ a second, which remains extremely high, it is true. A slow increase of the flows in autumn-winter until the top of next spring follows then. On the whole, the seasonal oscillations appear important thus very little, but the fluctuations are much more marked over short periods.

With the low water level, the VCN3 can fall until 6,9 m ³, in the event of dry period quinquennial, which remains comfortable compared with the average of the rivers of France. Let us recall that the VCN3 is the past minimal quantity or minimal flow over three days consecutive.

As for the risings, they can be very important, as it is the case for any river resulting from high mountains, without reaching the tops of the Mediterranean or Cevennes rivers. The QIX 2 or calculated flow of biennial rising and QIX 5 (calculated flow of quinquennial rising) are worth respectively 510 and 720 m ³. The QIX 10 or calculated flow of decennial rising is of 860 m ³ a second and the QIX 20 of 1  000 m ³. As for the QIX 50 or computed value of the flow of raw cinquantennale, it assembles to step less 1  200 m ³. (see note).

The recorded maximum instantaneous flow was of 1  650 m ³ a second on May 1st, 1977, while the value maximum day laborer was of 1  080 m ³ a second on February 2nd, 1952. By comparing the first of these values with the scale of the QIX of the river, it appears that these risings were much more than risings cinquantennales, perhaps centennial or more, and certainly very exceptional.

On the whole, Salat is an abundant river, supplied with such abundant precipitations they, sprinkling the area of the Pyrenees where it runs. The Lame of water past in its catchment area is of 858 millimetres annually, which is very high, largely higher than the average overall of France, and only lower than certain basins of the the Western Pyrenees, of the the Alps of north, the the Cevennes and some other tops of the Massif Central French, the the Vosges and the the Jura. The specific Flow of the river (or Qsp) reached the figure of 27,1 liters a second and per square kilometer of basin.

Tourist activities

  • Sports:

  • Saint-Bosoms: The castle of the Viscounts of the Couserans of XVIe century (registered with the Historic buildings). The Church Saint-Bosoms of Xe century restored with XIXe and equipped with a very rich furniture as well as paintings of Alonso Cano (XVIIe) and of Louis Boullongne (XVIIIe). The Saint-Valier Church of XIVe century strengthened (historic building). Confluence of Salat, the Lez and the Baup. Water level of Salat. Health resort. Flying-club, horsemanship, drive out, fishing and many other things still.

  • Saint-Lizier: The antique small town of 1650 inhabitants has two cathedrals. Saint-Lizier cathedral and cathedral Our-Lady-of-the-Sède (registered with the Historic buildings). Episcopal palate of XVIIe and XVIe centuries (registered with the Historic buildings). Flanked Gallo-Roman enclosure of 12 turns. Turn of the Clock of XIVe century. All 2 cathedral, of the palate of the bishops and the ramparts is registered with the world heritage UNESCO (ways of Compostelle). Old Hospital (registered with the Historic buildings). Romain bridge (registered him also).

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