Lika (river)

{{Infobox river

| name = Lika

| image = RijekaLikaZeljko.jpg

| image_caption = Lika River, near Kosinj

| source1_location = Velebit Mountains

| mouth_location = ponor

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|44|46|N|15|10|E|display=it|region:HR_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki}}

| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Croatia

| length = {{convert|77|km|abbr=on}}

| source1_elevation = {{convert|600|m|abbr=on}}

| mouth_elevation = {{convert|480|m|abbr=on}}

| discharge1_avg = {{convert|7.33|m3/s|abbr=on}}

| basin_size = {{convert|1014|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}

| map = {{infobox mapframe | zoom = 8 | stroke-color = #0000ff | stroke-width = 3 }}

}}

The Lika is a river in Croatia which gives its name to the Lika region.

It is {{convert|77|km|mi}} long and it has a basin with an area of {{convert|1014|km2|sqmi}}. Its average discharge at the measurement station in Bilaj (covering 225 km² of the basin) is 7.33 m³/s, and it can go completely dry.{{cite web | url = http://www.sabor.hr/fgs.axd?id=4321 | language = Croatian | title = Karakteristike značajnijih vodotoka | work = Vodnogospodarska osnova Hrvatske - Strategija upravljanja vodama | date = | publisher = Croatian Parliament | accessdate = 2011-12-18 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185719/http://www.sabor.hr/fgs.axd?id=4321 | archive-date = 2013-10-29 | url-status = dead }}

It is known as a sinking river because at the end of its course, it flows into a series of ponors or swallow-holes and disappears from the surface. The Lika River rises near the village of Kukljić at the foot of the Velebit Mountains, flows in a northwesterly direction past the town of Gospić, enters and leaves Lake Krušćica, and continues to the northwest until it sinks into the karst topography at ponors near Lipovo Polje.