Piedra (Spain)
Encyclopedia
The Piedra is a short river in central north east Spain
, a tributary of the river Jalón
. It rises near Campillo de Dueñas
, in the province of Guadalajara
, Castile-La Mancha
. The Piedra has an irregular flow, due to the long dry season of the summer months, with often heavy rainfall in the spring and autumn. The mean discharge at Monasterio de Piedra
is 1.22 m3/s.
The waters have a high concentration of calcium carbonate
which is deposited on plant life near the source, giving the river its name Piedra, which means stone in English.
, in the province of Zaragoza
, but it actually rises near Campillo de Dueñas, although the upper reaches are often dry in the summer months. Springs at Campillo amplify the flow, so that it always has water below this point.
From Cimballa, the Piedra flows down to the water gardens of the Monasterio de Piedra
where the calcerous water has formed a Karst topography
of waterfalls and lagoons, forming an oasis in the hard landscape, popular with visitors. After leaving Monasterio the river descends to the reservoir of La Tranquera at the pueblo of Nuévalos
. The rivers Mesa, Ortiz and Munebraga also feed the reservoir and may be considered tributaries of the Piedra. From La Tranquera, the river flows past Carenas
and joins the Jalón near Castejón de las Armas
.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, a tributary of the river Jalón
Jalón (river)
The river Jalón is located in the northeast of Spain, and is one of the principal tributaries of the Ebro. It has a length of and drains a watershed of . The flow rate in Calatayud is , but is highly irregular due to the great range of Mediterranean rainfall patterns.The course of the river forms...
. It rises near Campillo de Dueñas
Campillo de Dueñas
Campillo de Dueñas is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Castile-La Mancha, Spain, near the source of the river Piedra. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 111 inhabitants....
, in the province of Guadalajara
Guadalajara (province)
Guadalajara is a province of central/north-central Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. It is bordered by the provinces of Cuenca, Madrid, Segovia, Soria, Zaragoza, and Teruel...
, Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha
Castile-La Mancha is an autonomous community of Spain. Castile-La Mancha is bordered by Castile and León, Madrid, Aragon, Valencia, Murcia, Andalusia, and Extremadura. It is one of the most sparsely populated of Spain's autonomous communities...
. The Piedra has an irregular flow, due to the long dry season of the summer months, with often heavy rainfall in the spring and autumn. The mean discharge at Monasterio de Piedra
Monasterio de Piedra
Monasterio de Piedra is a monastery, hotel and park complex in the Iberian System area, near Nuévalos, province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The monastery was founded in 1194 by Alfonso II of Aragon wiht thirteen Cistercian monks from Poblet Monastery, in an old castle next to the Piedra river,...
is 1.22 m3/s.
The waters have a high concentration of calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate
Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3. It is a common substance found in rocks in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, coal balls, pearls, and eggshells. Calcium carbonate is the active ingredient in agricultural lime,...
which is deposited on plant life near the source, giving the river its name Piedra, which means stone in English.
Geography
The river is often said to rise at CimballaCimballa
Cimballa is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, on the river Piedra. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 143 inhabitants....
, in the province of Zaragoza
Zaragoza (province)
Zaragoza is a province of northern Spain, in the central part of the autonomous community of Aragon.Its capital is Zaragoza, which is also the capital of the autonomous community. Other towns in Zaragoza include Calatayud, Borja, La Almunia de Doña Godina, Ejea de los Caballeros and Tarazona.Its...
, but it actually rises near Campillo de Dueñas, although the upper reaches are often dry in the summer months. Springs at Campillo amplify the flow, so that it always has water below this point.
From Cimballa, the Piedra flows down to the water gardens of the Monasterio de Piedra
Monasterio de Piedra
Monasterio de Piedra is a monastery, hotel and park complex in the Iberian System area, near Nuévalos, province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The monastery was founded in 1194 by Alfonso II of Aragon wiht thirteen Cistercian monks from Poblet Monastery, in an old castle next to the Piedra river,...
where the calcerous water has formed a Karst topography
Karst topography
Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...
of waterfalls and lagoons, forming an oasis in the hard landscape, popular with visitors. After leaving Monasterio the river descends to the reservoir of La Tranquera at the pueblo of Nuévalos
Nuévalos
Nuévalos is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 384 inhabitants. This small town is two km down the Piedra from the Monasterio de Piedra...
. The rivers Mesa, Ortiz and Munebraga also feed the reservoir and may be considered tributaries of the Piedra. From La Tranquera, the river flows past Carenas
Carenas
Carenas is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, on the river Piedra. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 239 inhabitants....
and joins the Jalón near Castejón de las Armas
Castejón de las Armas
Castejón de las Armas is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The River Piedra joins the Jalón here. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 99 inhabitants....
.