Săsar River
| Săsar River | |
| River | |
 The Săsar flowing through Baia Mare | |
| Countries | Romania |
|---|---|
| Counties | Maramureș County |
| Tributaries | |
| - right | Firiza |
| Villages | Baia Sprie, Tăuții de Sus, Baia Mare, Săsar |
| Source | |
| - location | Gutâi Mountains, Mount Arșița |
| - elevation | 1,005 m (3,297 ft) |
| - coordinates | 47°41′28″N 23°48′31″E / 47.69111°N 23.80861°E |
| Mouth | Lăpuș |
| - location | Lăpușel |
| - elevation | 155 m (509 ft) |
| - coordinates | 47°37′24″N 23°27′33″E / 47.62333°N 23.45917°ECoordinates: 47°37′24″N 23°27′33″E / 47.62333°N 23.45917°E |
| Progression | Lăpuș→ Someș→ Tisza→ Danube→ Black Sea |
The Săsar River (Hungarian: Zazar) is a right tributary of the river Lăpuș in Maramureș County, Romania. It discharges into the Lăpuș in Lăpușel, southwest of Baia Mare. It is a medium-size river which flows through the cities of Baia Sprie and Baia Mare.
The river was heavily polluted with untreated sewage, agricultural fertilizer, and toxic chemicals from local mining sites, including cyanide, arsenic, lead, and cadmium. One notable incident occurred on January 30, 2000, when a tailings impoundment at the Baia Mare mine burst, releasing 50 to 100 tons of cyanide and heavy metals into the river. The Săsar, locally known as the "dead river," is unsuitable for bathing, washing, or fishing. The World Health Organization has identified the Baia Mare region as a "health risk hotspot."
The Săsar River flows into the Lăpuș River, which in turn flows into the Someș River, a tributary of the Danube. Pollution in the Săsar thus eventually reaches Romania, Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria.
Tributaries
The following rivers are tributaries to the river Săsar:
- Left: Valea Slipului
- Right: Valea Crişului, Frăsinet, Valea Limpede, Valea Tulbure, Borcutul, Chiuzbaia, Valea Morii, Valea Gordon, Firiza, Usturoiu, Valea Borcutului
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Săsar River. |
References
Maps