Miljacka

File:Saraybosna panorama.JPG

The Miljacka river originates from the confluence of the Paljanska Miljacka and Mokranjska Miljacka rivers. The Miljacka is a rather small river, only {{convert|21|km}} long from the confluence, or {{convert|34|km}} and {{convert|42|km}} depending on source (Pale or Mokro). By the time this tributary flows into the Bosna river in Sarajevo, it has an average discharge of 5.7 m³/s. The Miljacka river flows from east to west in a general direction through the city.

The Bosna is a right tributary of the Sava River, with its mouth in Bosanski Šamac. That river in turn flows into the Danube River, which goes southeast and enters the Black Sea chiefly in Romania.

The Paljanska Miljacka, {{convert|13|km}} in length, begins at Gornje Pale, {{convert|10|km}} eastward in the town of Pale, on the slopes of Jahorina, near Begovina), at an elevation of {{Convert|1025|m|ft}}.

The Mokranjska Miljacka, {{convert|21|km}} in length, springs from a large cave, yet to be fully explored, near the village of Kadino Selo at an elevation of {{Convert|1135|m|ft}} near the base of Romanija mountain.

{{Main|Mokranjska Miljacka wellspring cave}}

The cave at the spring of Mokranjska Miljacka, located about {{Convert|7|km|mi}} from the village of Mokro, near Pale, is officially the longest cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of August 2015, the length of mapped caverns was {{Convert|7.2|km|mi}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.bosanskiportal.com/izvor-mokranjske-miljacke-najduza-dokumentovana-pecina-u-cijeloj-bih/|title=Izvor Mokranjske Miljacke: Najduža dokumentovana pećina u cijeloj BiH|date=22 August 2015|publisher=bosanskiportal.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923103401/http://www.bosanskiportal.com/izvor-mokranjske-miljacke-najduza-dokumentovana-pecina-u-cijeloj-bih/|archive-date=23 September 2015}} The Miljacka runs out of the cave practically as an underground flow, a subterranean river, where its temperature is measured as low as 5 degrees and temperature of air as low as 8 degrees Celsius.{{cite web|url=http://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/pecina-na-izvoru-mokranjske-miljacke-najduza-u-bih/110815051|title=Pećina na izvoru Mokranjske Miljacke najduža u BiH|date=15 August 2011|publisher=klix.ba}}

The exact location of the cave is not yet mapped for the public, but local authorities have released a map which can be used to find its location, as well as a gallery of discoveries within the cave.{{cite web|url=http://www.palelive.com/pecine/pecina-izvora-mokranjske-miljacke|title=Pećina(Cave) izvora Mokranjske Miljacke |date=10 September 2015|publisher=palelive.com}}

A new species of spiders, named Nemanela Lade ("Lada's Little Monster" for its discoverer, Dr. Lada Lukić-Bilela from the Institute for Genetic Technology, Sarajevo), has been found here. Also found are at least five more species of spider, as well as certain species of bats. A skeleton head of a cave bear has also been found at the location.{{cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/document_downloads/46810913?extension=pdf|title=Slobodna Bosna broj 665 (Scribd PDF download)|date=13 August 2009|website=Scribd |access-date=26 July 2018 |language=en |format=PDF}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUQTcu9_FAE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/qUQTcu9_FAE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=PALE-SARAJEVO: MILJACKA - OD IZVORA DO UVORA |date=10 September 2014|publisher=Govore ljudi - Youtube}}{{cbignore}}

Paleontological finds, traces of human habitation, stalactites and stalagmites, as well as pisolite rocks, the river Miljacka wellspring, all makes this cave among most valuable speleological objects in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Researchers believe to have discovered bubbles of air, a possible sign of tectonic activity.{{cite web|url=https://sarajevo.co.ba/izvor-miljacke-je-mamac-za-avanturiste/|title=Izvor Miljacke je mamac za avanturiste|date=24 May 2009|publisher=sarajevo.co.ba}}

Because of its poor discharge, the Miljacka is known for its peculiar smell and brown waters. Miljacka river cascades, which regulate the waterbed and enrich the water with oxygen, trap plastic scraps, stranded balls, car tires, and various other waste. The main collector that drains fecal matter is parallel to the flow of the river up to its mouth at the river Bosna. The sewer system is not connected to the main collector, causing leakage of fecal matter directly into the waters of the Miljacka in several places. During the Bosnian War, water treatment was stopped and plant equipment looted, preventing the local government from dealing with the issue. Estimates of the cost to repair the wastewater plant range from 50 to 60 million euros.

In April 2015, a project called Čista rijeka Miljacka (Clean river Miljacka) was presented. The aim of the project was to bring the river status to category A, which would make the water clean enough for swimming.{{cite web |title=Prezentiran projekt "Čista rijeka Miljacka" |url=http://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/prezentiran-projekt-cista-rijeka-miljacka/150428074 |website=Klix.ba |access-date=26 July 2018 |language=bs-BA}}

In August 2015, the city of Sarajevo signed a contract with ER Project d.o.o. company to clean up 48 river cascades from Šeher-Ćehaja Bridge to Dolac Malta suburb bridge.{{cite web |title=Iz Miljacke se u naredna tri mjeseca uklanjaju plastične flaše, lopte, šiblje i drugi otpad (FOTO) |url=http://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/iz-miljacke-se-u-naredna-tri-mjeseca-uklanjaju-plasticne-flase-lopte-siblje-i-drugi-otpad/150812058#4 |website=Klix.ba |access-date=26 July 2018 |language=bs-BA}}

{{Main|2014 Southeast Europe floods}}

The river swelled almost to the level of city bridges during the 2014 Southeast Europe floods, which brought significant flooding to Bosnia and Herzegovina.{{cite web |title=Policija zabranila prelazak mosta na Drveniji zbog vodostaja Miljacke |url=https://www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/policija-zabranila-prelazak-mosta-na-drveniji-u-sarajevu-zbog-vodostaja-miljacke/140514103 |website=www.klix.ba |language=hr}}{{cite web |title=Sarajevo: Miljacka narasla gotovo do mostova |url=http://balkans.aljazeera.net/vijesti/sarajevo-miljacka-narasla-gotovo-do-mostova |website=balkans.aljazeera.net |language=bs}}

{{Main|2021 Bosnia and Herzegovina floods}}

The Miljacka was close to submerging some bridges in Sarajevo during the 2021 Bosnia and Herzegovina floods.{{Cite web|url=https://avaz.ba/kantoni/sarajevo/694167/nabujala-miljacka-prijeti-pojedinim-mostovima|title=Nabujala Miljacka prijeti pojedinim mostovima|date=5 November 2021|publisher=avaz.ba}}

There are over a dozen bridges over the river Miljacka. Some of the better known ones are:

• Goat's Bridge ({{langx|bs|"Kozija Ćuprija"}})
• Šeher-Ćehaja Bridge
• {{ill|Emperor's Bridge|bs|Careva ćuprija}}
• Latin Bridge (also known as "Principov most", namesake of Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassin Gavrilo Princip). The assassination carried out by Princip, which led to World War I, took place at the entrance on this bridge.{{fact|date=July 2020}} Gavrilo's co-conspirator Nedeljko Čabrinović, another member of the Bosnia-Herzegovinian Mlada Bosna movement, jumped into the river Miljacka from the bridge, seconds after throwing a grenade toward the archduke's car. He intended to hide below the bridge so that he could take and swallow a cyanide powder wrapped into a piece of paper. But the poison got so wet from the fall into the shallow Miljacka (only {{convert|10|cm}} deep) that it dissolved but lost its toxicity. Čabrinović was dragged alive from the river and arrested.
• Ćumurija Bridge
• Drvenija Bridge
• Čobanija Bridge
• Festina lente bridge
• Skenderija Bridge (a.k.a. "Ajfelov most")
• Suada and Olga bridge (a.k.a. "Vrbanja most")
• Bosmal Bridge (Malaysian-Bosnian Friendship Bridge), a.k.a. "Malezijski most" and "Bosmalov most".Destination Sarajevo,[http://sarajevo.travel/en/things-to-do/the-malaysian-bosnian-and-herzegovinian-friendship-bridge/809 The Malaysian-Bosnian and Herzegovinian Friendship Bridge], accessed 24 August 2017
• and several unnamed modern bridges.

Bentbaša Cliff Diving is a sport organized at location Bentbaša dam every summer at the eastern entrance into the city of Sarajevo (in close proximity to Vijećnica, a library and former City Hall). The diving location water depth is at 3.5 to 4.4 meters depending time of month.{{cite web |title=Bentbaša Cliff Diving 2019 |url=https://sarajevo.travel/en/event/bentbasa-cliff-diving-2019/15578 |website=Sarajevo.travel}}{{cite web |title=Dan kada Bentbaša oživi: Skakači iz cijelog svijeta impresionirali Sarajlije |url=https://www.radiosarajevo.ba/sport/ostali-sportovi/dan-kada-bentbasa-ozivi-skakaci-iz-cijelog-svijeta-impresionirali-sarajlije/346414 |website=www.radiosarajevo.ba}} Support to this sport in Sarajevo was given by Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series champion Rhiannan Iffland and competitor Jonathan Paredes who attended the 2019 edition.

Past champions of the event:

• 2019 - {{flagicon|SRB}} Dragan Milnović (head jump) / {{flagicon|SLO}} Aleš Karničnik (high jump)
• 2018 - {{flagicon|BIH}} Igor Arsenić from Banja Luka
• 2017 - N/A
• 2016 - N/A
• 2015 - {{flagicon|BIH}} Dino Bajrić from Sarajevo

Миљацка - извор 1.jpg|Paljanska Miljacka source at Gornje Pale, under the slopes of Jahorina

Fishing on Miljacka river 01.JPG|Fishing on Dariva (Miljacka Canyon between Bentbaša and Goat's Bridge)

Sarajevo Wilsons-Promenade 2013-10-18.jpg|Wilson's Promenade, named after Thomas Woodrow Wilson

The Bridge, site of the beginning of world war I.jpg|The Latin Bridge was the site of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand

Bentbaša Miljacka river.JPG|Bentbaša dam (Cliff Diving location)

Vijecnica (41626036484).jpg|Library and City Hall

A number of popular local songs were sung about Miljacka river, including "Halid Bešlić - Miljacka" and "Himzo Polovina - Kad ja pođoh na Bembašu".

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book | last = Karl Baedeker (Firm) | title = Austria-Hungary, Including Dalmatia and Bosnia | publisher = K. Baedeker | year = 1905 | location = Original from the University of Michigan | pages = 431 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Cx5ziJh3LikC&q=Miljacka+-wikipedia+river&pg=RA14-PA431 }}

{{wiktionary|Miljacka}}

{{Commons category|Miljacka}}

• [https://medium.com/thriving-communities-of-south-eastern-europe/clean-river-miljacka-5e4921d532a4 A Clean River Miljacka: At the heart of the Future Sarajevo we all want and need]
• [https://greatruns.com/sarajevo-miljacka-river/ Great Runs: Miljacka River]
• [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356635642_Level_of_pollution_of_the_Miljacka_river ResearchGate: Level of pollution of the Miljacka river]

{{Hydrography of Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

Category:Geography of Sarajevo

Category:Rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina

*Miljacka

Category:Subterranean rivers of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Subterranean rivers of Sarajevo