Crișul Alb între Gurahonț și Ineu

The Natura 2000 site ROSCI0294 "Râul Crișul Alb between Ineu and Gurahonț" is a protected natural area located in the northern part of Arad County, fully integrated into its territory. Its location is well delimited geographically, between the coordinates 46º 21′ 18” north latitude and 22º 7′ 14” east longitude, at altitudes varying between 105 and 189 meters, located in the Continental – Pannonian biogeographic region. The total area of ​​the site is 1229 hectares and extends over several administrative units: Bârsa, Bocsig, Buteni, Dieci, Gurahonț, Ineu and Sebiș.

The Crișul Alb River has its source in the Bihor Mountains, on the eastern slopes, under the Cartezul peak, at about 900 meters altitude. It has a general flow from east to west, changing direction to the northwest after the confluence with the Cigher River. The first sector, up to the area of ​​the city of Brad, is characterized by a torrential course with a narrow bed, then the valley widens and presents numerous meanders, except for the sector narrowed by gorges between Halmagiu and Gurahonț. The slope of the river decreases progressively, reaching 0.03% near the border with Hungary. The Crișul Alb receives numerous tributaries on both banks, including the Bucuresci, Luncoiu, Ribita, Baldovin, Sighișoara, Hălmagiu, Sebiș and Cigherul.

From a hydrographic point of view, the Crișul Alb basin can be divided into three distinct sectors: the upper sector (mountainous area), the middle sector (hilly area) and the lower sector (plain). The upper sector is distinguished by a rugged relief and a varied lithology, including sandstones, limestones and crystalline shales, with numerous tributaries that spring from the Bihor, Găina, Codru-Moma and Zărand Mountains. The middle sector corresponds to the depressional gulf of Zărand, where the basin becomes asymmetrical, dominated by the Cigher tributary with an important hydrographic surface of 670 km². The lower sector extends into the Crișului Alb Plain, where the river forms strong meanders and abandoned arms.

The largest tributary of the Crișului Alb, the Cigherul, springs from the Zărand Mountains and has a profile similar to the Crișului Alb: a dendritic network, asymmetry in the lower sector and a sinuous course. To regulate the flow, the Tauț reservoir was built on the Cigher in 1970, with a capacity of over 33 million cubic meters and an area of ​​240 hectares. This lake has multiple roles: flood mitigation, irrigation, fish farming and recreation.

The ROSCI0294 site was established by Order of the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development No. 1964/2007, subsequently amended and supplemented, as part of the European ecological network Natura 2000. As a Site of Community Importance, its main objective is the conservation of species and habitats of European value, mentioned in the standard form of the site.

Among the protected habitats are riparian communities with tall hygrophilous grasses, which cover a wide area from the plain to mountain and alpine areas (code 6430), but also specific alluvial forests with species such as Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (code 91E0\*). In terms of fauna, the site is home to important and protected species, such as the otter (Lutra lutra), the yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata), the pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) and various native fish species: the goby (Gobio albipinnatus), the sculpin (Gobio kessleri), the porgy (Gobio uranoscopus), the blue barbel (Barbus meridionalis), the Danube bream (Sabanejewia aurata) and the sculpin (Misgurnus fossilis).

This site is essential for maintaining the ecological balance of the area, providing a natural habitat for protected species and contributing to the conservation of biological diversity along the entire Crișul Alb River between Ineu and Gurahonț. It is also an important area for the protection of water resources and for the sustainable management of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the region.

Sursa: ananp.gov.ro