Taravo

The Taravo (U Tàravu in Corsica language) is a coastal Fleuve French which runs in Corse-du-Sud.

Geography

It takes its source with the Monte Grosso with almost 1 850 meters of altitude. The general orientation of its course goes from the North-East towards south-west. After having traversed 65,6 kilometers, it is thrown in the Mediterranean on the level of the Golfe of Valinco, in Oporto Pollo, close to Propriano.

Hydrology

Taravo is a small abundant but rather irregular river. Its flow was observed during one 39 years period (1969-2007), with Zigliara, the Bridge of Abra where the RN 196 passes, to about fifteen kilometers of its mouth. The catchment area of the river is there of 331 km ², i.e. 85% of the totality of this one.

The interannual medium flow or module of the river at this place is worth 7,12 m ³ a second.

Taravo presents typical seasonal fluctuations of a Mediterranean rain mode. The high waters are held in winter and in spring, from December to May included, and carry the average monthly flow on a level located between 8,83 and 12,1 m ³ a second, with an in April maximum. They are followed of a fast fall of the flow until the period of low waters of summer which goes from at the end of June to the beginning of October, with its average minimum of August (1,47 m ³ a second). However the fluctuations are much more marked over short periods and according to the years.

With the low water level, the VCN3 can fall until 0,570 m ³, in the event of dry period quinquennial, which cannot be described as really severe (see note).

As for the risings, they can be very important. The QIX 2 or calculated flow of biennial rising and QIX 5 (calculated flow of quinquennial rising) are worth respectively 120 and 170 m ³. The QIX 10 or calculated flow of decennial rising is of 200 m ³ a second and the QIX 20 of 230 m ³. As for the QIX 50 or computed value of the flow of raw cinquantennale, it was not calculated (see note). That means that, for example, every two years one must expect a rising of about 120 cubic meters, and every twenty years a rising of 230 cubic meters must occur, statistically at least. Let us note that these figures are definitely lower than those of the Vecchio for example.

The recorded maximum instantaneous flow with Zigliara was of 600 m ³ a second on December 1st, 1996, while the value maximum day laborer was of 108 m ³ a second on December 5th, 1992. By comparing the first of these values with the scale of the QIX of the river, it appears that the risings of December 1996 were largely higher than more calculated high bancs, and thus completely exceptional.

The Lame of water past in the catchment area of Taravo is of 681 millimetres annually, which is very high, more twice the higher than the French average, all confused basins. The specific Flow of the river (or Qsp) reached the high figure of 21,5 liters a second and per square kilometer of basin.

Ecological problems

One finds there like fish of trouts (less and less present), of the wolves, the mules as well as eels. One also finds there nombreaux animals such as frogs, terrapins.

This fish loss is due to a pollution present upstream of the river. The majority of the 29 common crossings by the river rejects their waste water there.

Relative efforts are tried to cure this problem (purification plant and pit).

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