Narew

Narew
Нараў
River
Braided channels of the Narew at Strękowa Góra
Countries	Poland, Belarus
Voivodeships / Voblasts	Hrodna, Podlaskie, Mazovian
Source
- location	north-eastern part of the Bialowieza Forest near Dzikie Bagno, Belarus
- elevation	159 m (522 ft)
- coordinates	PL 52°52′24.68″N 24°13′8.87″E / 52.8735222°N 24.2191306°E / 52.8735222; 24.2191306
Mouth
- location	Modlin (Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki), Poland
- elevation	70.7 m (232 ft)
- coordinates	PL 52°26′N 20°41′E / 52.433°N 20.683°E / 52.433; 20.683Coordinates: PL 52°26′N 20°41′E / 52.433°N 20.683°E / 52.433; 20.683
Length	484 km (301 mi)
Basin	28,000 km2 (10,811 sq mi)
Discharge	for Modlin (Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki)
- average	328 m3/s (11,583 cu ft/s)
Discharge elsewhere (average)
- entering Pułtusk	146 m3/s (5,156 cu ft/s)
Narew River as part of the Vistula watershed

The Narew River ([ˈnarɛf]; Belarusian: Нараў Naraŭ, Ukrainian: Нарва Narva), in western Belarus and north-eastern Poland, is a right tributary of the Vistula river. The Narew is one of Europe's few braided rivers, the term relating to the twisted channels resembling braided hair.

Etymology

The name of the river comes from a Proto-Indo-European root *nr primarily associated with water (compare Narva, Neretva, Neris, Ner and Nur).^[1]

Alternative names

The portion of the river between Zegrze Reservoir and the Vistula is sometimes called Bugonarew, Narwio-Bug, Narwo-Bug, Bugo-Narew, Narwiobug or Narwobug. At the confluence near Zegrze the Bug is longer than Narew, however, the Narew's discharge is much higher. Because of that the river was variously referred to as either Narew, Bug, Bugo-Narew, Bugonarew, Narwiobug or Narwobug.

Until after World War II rivers were commonly classified by their length. As at the confluence near Zegrze Bug is longer than Narew, the Bugonarew was often considered part of Bug river and Narew was thought of as its tributary. However, at the same time Narew's discharge is much higher at their meeting point.

On December 27, 1962 the Prime Minister of Poland's act abolished the name Bugonarew soon after the Zegrze Reservoir had been constructed.^[2] Since then the river is considered to be part of Narew, while Bug is currently considered a left tributary. The name however is continued to be used, especially by the inhabitants of towns located along the banks of the stretch of river, such as Pułtusk.

Geography

The Narew flows through the geographical region of Europe known as the Wysoczyzny Podlasko – Bialoruskie (English: Podlasie and Belarus Plateau) located within the Podlaskie Voivodeship and Masovian Voivodeship of Poland and the Hrodna Voblast of Belarus.

The Narew is the fifth longest Polish river.

View from the road along Siemianówka reservoir near Bondary village, gmina Michałowo, podlaskie,Poland

Cities and towns

Confluence of the Narew and Vistula at Modlin

The valley of the river Narew taken from the high river bank at Paulinowo-Dzbądz (close to city Różan)

Marshes on the braided channels of the Narew's floodplains, near Pańki and Rzędzian

Siemianówka reservoir near Bondary village, gmina Michałowo, podlaskie,Poland

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Narew.

Tributaries

The Narew near Łomża. The river flows slowly, creating meanders

History

On August 23, 1939, the Soviet Union and Germany signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, agreeing to divide Poland along the Narew, Vistula (Wisła), and San rivers.

On September 6, 1939, Polish military forces attempted to use the Narew as a defense line against German attack during the German Invasion of Poland. This was abandoned the next day in favor of the Bug as German forces had already penetrated the defenses.

The Battle of Wizna was fought along the banks of the river between September 7 and September 10, 1939, between the forces of Poland and Germany during the initial stages of Invasion of Poland. Because it consisted of a small force holding a piece of fortified territory against a vastly larger invasion for three days at great cost before being annihilated with no known survivors, Wizna is sometimes referred to as a Polish Thermopylae in Polish culture.

On September 17, 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland. By 28 September, the Soviet Army had reached the line of the rivers Narew, Bug River, Vistula and San - completing the division of Poland as negotiated in advance.

See also

• Narew National Park
• Narew Landscape Park
• Rivers of Poland
• Geography of Poland

References

External links

• Natural tourism (birdwatching) in Narew National Park

Tributaries of the Vistula River
Forming rivers	Biała Wisełka Czarna Wisełka
Main tributaries of the left bank	Krajka Pszczynka Gostynia Przemsza Chech Rudno Sanka Rudawa Prądnik Dłubnia Roporek Szreniawa Nidzica Nida Strumień Czarna Koprzywianka Opatówka Kamienna Krępianka Iłżanka Zwoleńka Plewka Zagożdżonka Radomka Pilica Czarna Jeziorka Bzura Skrwa Lewa Zgłowiączka Tążyna Zielona Brda Wda Wierzyca
Main tributaries of the right bank	Brennica Iłownica Biała Soła Skawa Skawinka Wilga (Kraków) Drwinka Raba Gróbka Uszwica Kisielina Dunajec Breń Brnik Wisłoka Babulówka Trześniówka Łęg San Sanna Wyżnica Chodelka Bystra Kurówka Wieprz Okrzejka Promnik Wilga (Wilga) Świder Kanał Żerański Narew Mołtawa Słupianka Rosica Brzeźnica Skrwa Prawa Mień Drwęca Bacha Struga Osa Liwa
Distributary	Nogat Leniwka Szkarpawa Vistula Lagoon Śmiała Wisła Martwa Wisła Przekop Canal