DUERO RIVER: SOURCE, ROUTE, MOUTH, TRIBUTARIES - GEOGRAPHY - 2024

The Duero River is one of the most important in the Iberian Peninsula, being the third largest in the region after the Tagus and the Ebro. It has the largest hydrographic basin with 98,073 km ² that runs between two countries, Spain and Portugal.

It stands out for its natural beauty and impressive architectural wonders, as evidenced by the reservoirs created on its lands. It extends for a total of 897 km from Soria to Porto.

Los Arribes del Duero is classified as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA). Photo: Carla M. on Pixabay.

Its ecosystem is so important that it is classified as a SCI zone (Place of Community Interest) and ZEPA (Special Protection Area for Birds), housing a great diversity of flora and fauna that make it one of the most attractive natural resources in Europe..

Birth

The Duero rises between the Picos de Urbión, in Duruelo de la Sierra, Soria (Spain), at 2,160 meters above sea level. A scene of pine trees that have more than 100 years of life frames the first tour.

From the first contact with the river, culture can be perceived through medieval bridges, castles, convents, palaces, monasteries and cathedrals that are spread among the more than 60 municipalities that it crosses.

Route and mouth

Of the 897 km of the Duero, 572 km belong to Spain, 213 km run in Portugal and 112 km are of international waters.

Its mouth takes place in Porto, where its waters end the journey when they reach the Atlantic Ocean.

High stretch

In its highest part, it collects water mainly from the Sierra de Urbión, Sierra Cebollera and Oncala. It covers about 73 km in its first section, which crosses the province of Soria, descending towards the Cuerda del Pozo reservoir where it reaches 1100 meters above sea level, when it converges with the waters of the Tera and Garray rivers.

Middle section

Aldeadávila Dam. it is located in the middle of the river Duero. Source: Raiden32 (Image courtesy of onmeditquenosvies, member of the embalses.net forum)

After passing through Soria, it crosses the provinces of Burgos, Valladolid, Zamora and Salamanca. It descends south towards Almazán feeding on the waters of the Sierra de Madero and Sierra de Moncayo, covering a total of 500 km that extend through towns such as Langa de Duero and Aranda de Duero.

It reaches Roa (Burgos) and then crosses the Riaza river and crosses Segovia before entering Valladolid, Zamora and Salamanca. It passes through Tudela de Duero in Valladolid, feeding on the waters of the Cega and Pisuerga rivers up to Puente Duero. Then it crosses Tordesillas, passing through Castronuño, Pesquera de Duero, Sardón de Duero, Tudela de Duero, Villafranca de Duero and Toro, among others.

Arribes del Duero

When entering through Zamora and Salamanca, it is located on the border between Spain and Portugal, receiving water mainly from the Esla River. This territory is known as the international part of the Duero or the arribes, where the imposing dams and reservoirs are located, among the most important the Almendra, Bemposta, Ricobayo, Villalcampo, Aldeadávila and Saucelle reservoirs.

On the Portuguese side, the Duero flows through the Carrapatelo, Miranda, Pocinho, Valeira, Crestuma-Lever, Régua, Picote and Bemposta reservoirs.

Los Arribes del Duero is classified as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA), a title it obtained in 1990 thanks to the wide diversity of its ecosystem. It has an area of ​​106,105 ha, including 180 km of river canyons within the Spanish area, in the provinces of Zamora and Salamanca. There is the Arribes del Duero Natural Park.

On the Portuguese side, there is the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional created in 1998, extending over 85,150 ha. Arribes in both countries have a wide range of recreational activities, such as hiking, viewpoints and cruises.

Its contrast is striking: on the one hand the full plain and on the other large river canyons, among which more than 300 species of vertebrates, reptiles, fish, amphibians and bats, among many other types, inhabit.

Tour in Portugal

Among the cities that the Douro runs through in Portugal are Baganza, Guarda, Villa Real, Viseu, Aveiro and Porto. Likewise, in its passage through Portuguese lands, it embraces a very attractive tourist blog, locating in the Douro Region places such as Vila Real, Vila Nova de Gaia, Lamego, Peso da Régua, Pinhão and Vila Nova de Foz Côa.

History

Route of the Douro River through Porto, Portugal. Source: Rititaneves

The Duero River has been a silent and calm witness of momentous historical events that have marked a before and after in Spain, among the most important its role as a border to mark the limits with the Arab empire and establish the Spanish monarchical regime, as well like his presence in the Reconquista.

The route of Carlos V

Emperor Carlos I of Spain and V of the Holy Roman Empire made a triumphal journey between Valladolid, Segovia and Burgos to the Court of Aragon, when with the Duero as the path and border of his adventures, he dedicated himself to demonstrating with facts the power of the monarchy in the communities surrounding the river.

In conflict with countries such as France and Turkey, always defending the territorial political union and Catholicism in Europe, he met the mandates of his government by undertaking a constant route through different provinces on the banks of the Duero, which served as a path and mirror of struggles in the century XVI.

Colonization of the Cantabrian Mountains

Route of the Duero River through Zamora, Spain. Source: Fotografiamartincaballero

Between the 8th and 10th centuries, the Kingdom of Asturias consolidated its expansion from the Picos de Europa to the Duero River to consolidate the colonization of its spaces. In this way, the riverbank became an entity of economic development through cultivation on the land, breeding grounds for horses that were indispensable for the battles of the time, and livestock production in the plains of the Duero Valley. In this the nobles and ecclesiastics played an important role.

The battle of Toro

Located next to the Duero River, Toro is a historic town in Zamora that witnessed an epic struggle that marked a milestone in the destiny of the peninsula: the Battle of Toro. Fought on March 1, 1476 with the Duero as the setting for the waters, it represented a resounding victory for the hegemony of the Catholic Monarchs against the claims of Alfonso V of Portugal, consolidating the reign of Isabel I of Castile and causing Castile and Castile to unite Aragon, setting a new course for the entity.

Although in principle the outcome of the battle was ambiguous and represented a half victory for the Portuguese in the field of confrontation, a few months later Alfonso V himself found that he did not have sufficient support to govern and withdrew from the contest.

The wine of the Ribera del Duero

The birth of the famous wine grown in the Duero dates back more than a thousand years. It dates from the hieroglyphs and paintings of the Egyptian culture that show its production and consumption by then. Later the Phoenicians contributed to make it known by different Spanish regions.

In the ancient city of Pintia, located in Padilla de Duero, Peñafiel, the pre-Roman Vacceos ethnic group gave the first known cultural character to Duero wine, in the 5th century BC. During that time it was a symbol of honor and only hierarchical authorities could consume it.

Currently, the Ribera del Duero wine together with the Port type wine in its three variants (Tawny, Ruby and Blanco) are two of the most popular and consumed classes. Wineries such as Vega Sicilia, Protos and Casajús are some of the most important in the Douro area.

characteristics

The Duero is considered the backbone that pours life and water into the region of Castilla y León. It travels a total of 897 km from its source in Soria to its mouth in Porto. Approximately 80% of its territory is located in Spain and 20% in Portugal.

The communication route with the sea, in which the Duero reaches the port and becomes navigable, is reached when the river leaves the lands of Castilla y León at the height of the Fregeneda, in the Vega de Terrón river quay.

The basin has a total of 98,073 km ², making it the largest hydrographic basin in the Iberian Peninsula. Of this figure, 78,859 km ² belong to Spain and 19,214 km ² to Portugal. Its average flow is between 650 m³ / s and 675 m³ / s, while in the area of ​​the arrivals it reaches 570 m³ / s.

tourism

Cruise logs, hiking, water sports. These are just some of the recreational activities that the Duero offers. 35% of the artistic and historical heritage of the peninsula is framed on the banks of the river, between castles, fortresses, monasteries, museums, cathedrals and palaces that make it a highly desired destination by tourists from around the world.

Main tributaries

There are 333 tributaries that feed the waters of the Duero, which is fed by the rivers of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Central System.

On its left side, the most important are the Adaja, Tormes, Rituerto, Cega, Duratón, Riaza, Zarpadiel, Távora, Tedo, Côa, Águeda, Huebra, Varosa, Eresma, Arda, Paiva and Cabrum rivers.

From the right the rivers Corgo, Esla, Tua, Sabor, Támega, Pisuerga, Teixeira, Sousa, Valderaduey and Tera provide liquid.

Flora

Quercus suber (Mediterranean Cork Oak). Source: Joergsam

A great variety of trees, climbing plants, shrubs, aquatic and invasive plants make up the flora of the Duero. Among the trees are maples, poplars, wicker, cherry, willow, linden, poplar, ash, birch, holm oak, cork oak, carob and elm.

Also piornos, tomillejas, rockrose, brooms and tamarices, asparagus, prickly pear; and aromatic plants such as pennyroyal, thyme, oregano, chamomile, rosemary and fennel, among many others located in the middle and lower reaches of the river, as well as on the banks.

Shrubs such as hawthorn, blackberry, elderberry, hazelnut, wild rose, and blackthorn, which provide color, diversity and very different flavors between vines and fruits. Honeysuckle, ivy, bulrush, rush, water lily, berraña, willow, ailanthus also make up the types of plants found in their different areas.

Holm oak forests make up a large part of the flora of its territory. Also present are Quercus Sober cork oak forests, Quercus Pirenaica oak forests, Juniperus Oxycedrus junipers, hydrophilic forests and pre-forest scrub.

Fauna

Black stork (Ciconia nigra). Source: Holger Uwe Schmitt

The extensive biodiversity of species that the Duero harbors represents one of the largest fauna reserves on the European continent. That is why it is classified as a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA).

Furthermore, the Arribes del Duero Natural Park (Spain) and the International Douro Natural Park (Portugal) are part of the Network of European Natural Spaces (Red Natura 2000). Between them they gather approximately 400 thousand hectares of territory loaded with an impressive range of species, many of them in danger of extinction.

The birds are divided into aquatic, riparian and rupicolous. Among those that inhabit the Duero are the black stork, golden eagle, Bonelli's eagle, griffon vulture, common grebe, common martinet, cattle heron, great crested grebe, common teal, squeaker heron, black-necked grebe, gray heron, purple heron, European poon, Northern Mallard, Frisian Mallard, Common Hammer, Mallard, Common Stilt, Coot, Rail Rail, Lesser Plover and Western Marsh Harrier.

Also European lapwing, sapper plane, peregrine falcon, eagle owl, red-billed chough, bastard nightingale, black-billed patty, single-colored search, stone curlew, lesser kestrel, Egyptian vulture, bee-eater, common warbler, mountain limb, long-legged chough, common archbee, and common whitefish, lone rocker, oropendola, inére fisherman and laughing gull, among others.

Mammals are no exception and are impressive in the Duero, inhabiting as many types as those existing in almost all species of the Iberian Peninsula.

Among them we find the riverine buzzard, genet, Palearctic otter, water rat, American mink, goat vole, ermine, wolf, ibex, deer, mouflon, fallow deer, chamois, roe deer, wild cat, wild boar, fox, badger, dormouse face mask and iron bat.

The group of amphibians is made up of the gallipat, common frog, common salamander, Iberian newt, Iberian midwife toad, Iberian pintojo toad, southern pintojo toad, spotted toad, spurred toad, runner toad and San Antonio frog, among the most important.

The fish are just as varied and extensive: chub, carp, pike, catfish, eel, salvelino, vermilion, madrilla, rainbow trout, signal crab, minnow, tench, boga, barbel, carp, goby and Douro boga as the most abundant in its waters.

References

1. ¡Know your river !, Celia García, Duero Hydrographic Confederation, Government of Spain (2013).
2. The Spanish Empire of Carlos V. Hugh Thomas. Planet, Barcelona, ​​(2012).
3. Ruta del Duero, taken from the website of the Tourist Board of the Valladolid Provincial Council, Provinciadevalladolid.com.
4. Spain: between heaven and earth, A river of legends, documentary made by TVE (2004-2005).
5. Manual of Native Biodiversity, AECT Duero - Douro (2012).