Hers-Vif

	Hers-Vif; Grand Hers
	The Hers-Vif at Bélesta
	Data
Water code	FR : O1-0290
location	France , Occitania region
River system	Garonne
Drain over	Ariège → Garonne → Atlantic Ocean
source	in the municipality of Prades ; 42 ° 45 ′ 29 ″ N , 1 ° 51 ′ 11 ″ E
Source height	approx. 1480 m
muzzle	in the municipality of Cintegabelle in the Ariège coordinates: 43 ° 18 ′ 22 ″ N , 1 ° 33 ′ 8 ″ E 43 ° 18 ′ 22 ″ N , 1 ° 33 ′ 8 ″ E;
Mouth height	approx. 195 m
Height difference	approx. 1285 m
Bottom slope	approx. 9.5 ‰
length	135 km
Left tributaries	see adjacent table
Right tributaries	see adjacent table
	Flood at Bélesta

The Hers-Vif (or Grand Hers ) is a river in France that runs in the Occitania region . The nickname Vif ("alive") distinguishes it from Hers-Mort ("Dead Hers"), a tributary of the Aude . It has its source in the Pyrenees , near the Col du Chioula , in the municipality of Prades . It initially drains in many changes of direction, generally north to northeast through the Pays d'Aillou and leaves the plateau through the Gorges de la Frau gorge . In its middle course it goes around the Lac de Montbel in the east , then turns to the northwest and after 135 kilometers flows into the Ariège as a right tributary in the municipality of Cintegabelle . The Hers-Vif crosses the Ariège , Aude and Haute-Garonne departments on its way .

Places on the river

Important tributaries

Apart from numerous streams, the following waters flow into the Hers-Vif (with details of length, order downstream):

the Lasset (also: Ruisseau de Saint Nicolas ) (approx. 14 km) from the left in Fougax-et-Barrineuf 42 ° 52 ′ 43 ″ N 1 ° 53 ′ 39 ″ E

the karst spring Fontaine de Fontestorbes (<100 m) from the right on the southwestern municipal boundary of Bélesta 42 ° 54 ′ 16 ″ N 1 ° 56 ′ 06 ″ E42.904444444444 1.935
the blue (approx. 16 km) from the right in Chalabre 42 ° 59 ′ 05 ″ N 2 ° 00 ′ 25 ″ E42.984722222222 2.4166666666667
the Touyre (approx. 39 km) from the left in Lagarde 43 ° 02 ′ 25 ″ N 1 ° 56 ′ 01 ″ E43.040277777778 1.7502777777778
the Ambrone (approx. 22 km) from the right in Moulin-Neuf 43 ° 04 ′ 48 ″ N 1 ° 56 ′ 42 ″ E43.08 1945
the Countirou (approx. 15 km) from the left in Mirepoix 43 ° 05 ′ 35.9 ″ N 1 ° 52 ′ 45.7 ″ E43.093305555556 1.8793611111111
the Douctouyre (approx. 42 km) from the left in Vals 43 ° 05 ′ 34 ″ N 1 ° 45 ′ 18 ″ E43.092777777778 1.755
the Vixiège (approx. 34 km) from the right below Marty (municipality of Belpech ) 43 ° 12 ′ 20 ″ N, 1 ° 44 ′ 49 ″ E43.205555555556 1.7469444444444
the estaut (approx. 19 km) from the left below Belpech 43 ° 12 ′ 55 ″ N, 1 ° 44 ′ 12 ″ E43.215277777778 1.7366666666667
the Raunier (approx. 12 km) from left below Mazères 43 ° 15 ′ 46 ″ N 1 ° 40 ′ 10 ″ E43.262777777778 1.6694444444444
the Ruisseau du Cazeret (approx. 10 km) from the left above Calmont 43 ° 16 ′ 20 ″ N 1 ° 39 ′ 23 ″ E43.272222222222 1.6563888888889

Hydrology

The Grand Hers is known as vif , which in this context means something like 'lively' or 'fast'. In the summer and autumn months, the river has an average discharge rate of 3–4 m³ / s. In the winter months and in spring, however, there are always spectacular floods, such as on June 16, 1289, when, after a natural dam on the Blau tributary broke, a flood wave from the Hers-Vif almost completely destroyed the town of Mirepoix.

Some more examples:

on June 23, 1875, at the Mazères gauge, a flow rate of 1500 m³ / s
on February 6, 1919, at the Mazères gauge, a flow rate of 600 - 800 m³ / s
on May 19, 1977 at the Mazères gauge a flow rate of 1070 m³ / s
on January 16, 1981, at the Mazères gauge, a flow rate of 1100 m³ / s
on June 11, 2000, at the Mazères gauge, a flow rate of 500 m³ / s
on January 24, 2004, at the Mazères gauge, a flow rate of 500 m³ / s

natural reserve

The Hers-Vif valley is registered as a Natura 2000 area under the code FR7301822.

Web links

Commons : Hers-Vif - collection of images, videos and audio files

Information about the Natura 2000 area

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b geoportail.fr (1: 16,000)
↑ ^a ^b The information on the length of the river is based on the information on the Hers-Vif at SANDRE (French), accessed on April 9, 2011, rounded to full kilometers.
↑ hydro.eaufrance.fr (station: O1662910 , option: Synthèse )

[geofr-1] rtail.fr (1: 16,000)

[sandre-2] The information on the length of the river is based on the information on the Hers-Vif at SANDRE (French), accessed on April 9, 2011, rounded to full kilometers.

[hydro-3] ydro.eaufrance.fr (station: O1662910 , option: Synthèse )