Map of the Soča River Network

The Soča river has three spring branches. The first is called Potok (1 and the arrow on the map), the second Koritnica (2) and the third Učja (3).
Outflows are as much as tributaries and two into the Adriatic sea.
The Soča river flows in the sea on surface through Zdobje (strongly modified delta) and through underground flow from karst springs Timav (Il Timavo). Small river between karst springs and the sea is also called Potok. Main outflows into the sea are marked on the map by two arrows.

Map of the Karst Springs and Outflow into the Sea

There are many karst springs on the NW side of the Kras (Carso) region. The best known are Timav (Il Timavo) near Štivan (S. Giovani) and Laško jezero (Lago di Pietra Rossa) below Sabliči.
The spings area was strongly modified, many natural phenomena were destroyed during draining wetlands in the sixties of the 20^th century.
Water connection between the Soča river and the karst springs has been confirmed with the same isotopes of oxygen in the snow on the Mt. Kanin and in the karst water in boreholes near Klariči and Brestovica, when they were looking for water supply of the Kras region in seventies of the 20^th century.
Water connection between the Soča river and the karst springs has been confirmed with the same isotopes of oxygen in the snow on the Mt. Kanin and in the karst water in boreholes near Klariči and Brestovica, when they were looking for water supply of the Kras region in seventies of the 20^th century.
Water connection between the Velka Voda - Reka river and the karst springs has also been confirmed. When outflow is low the Soča feeds Timav, a little is also water from the Vipava river and from the Kras aquifer. The Velka voda - Reka feeds Brojnice (submarine springs below Nabrežia - Aurisina) together with water of the karst aquifer, at that times. The Brojnice were captured for the Trst - Triest water supply already in the 19^th century. The Velka voda - Reka river flows in the Timav only during major floods.

Color of the Soča Water

^* Sorry, the poem Soči has not been translated in English, yet.

Haiku

These and other haikus artists read at the Sotočje (confluence of the Tolminka river with the Soča) on Sunday, 14 October, 2012, to celebrate the Day of the Soča River.
Sorry, haikus have not been translated in English, yet.

The Main Spring Branch

The main headwaters extending to a two-stage, wild cirque between 1300 and 2300 m above sea level. Carved by the Soča glacier under Mt. Bavški Grintavec (2347 m). The ice was here conceived before 9700 years ago in the lower Dryas.

The Highest Permanent Spring

The main channel of the first Soča branch is called Potok. It excavated stream at the bottom of lower cirque on the Zapotok mountain pasture. Cottage and stables were built above the first permanent source. It is situated about 1345 m above sea level.

Evorsion Channels of the Potok

Approximately 15 m below and 300 m far below the permanent source Potok burrowing into the rock about 260 m long, 6 m to 40 m deep and 1 m to 15 m wide Korita = evorsion channels.

View in the Zapouden and the Vršič Pass

The Potok drops here over the Soča glacial trough in the Zapouden, where it sinks in the own deposits and changes in the Suhpotok (Drybrook).

The Skok

From the mouth of Korita at the Zapotok mountain pasture dropping 12 m high waterfall then the water is directed in a slanted groove. Here glides 65 m and overcome altitude difference of 45 m. At the very broken, steep ledge is splits into two strands, and again dropping 73 m deep in the Korita pod Skokom. Skok (The Jump) is called this waterfall in Trenta.

The Highest Waterfall in the Korita pod Skokom

Water Fan in the Korita pod Skokom

The Suhpotok

View from Zapouden on the brookbed and the Vršič pass (1611 m) and Mt. Prisank (2547 m) on the horizon.

Wet Suhpotok

After the heavy rains in the three-quarter-hour changes in the wet. Six hours after the rains sinks again.

The Entrance to the Pothole of the Izvir Soče

The pothole of the Soča source was explored to a depth of 35.5 m; this deepness can be reached during droughts. Passage filled with water continues in the heart of Mt. Mojstrovka (2332 m).
The pothole regularly dry up, especially in winters, during severe droughts also in summers.

Waterfall of the Izvir Soče

After the spring water flows some meters by almost flat surface and then it falls in about 10 m high waterfall followed by cascades and rapids.

Full Brookbed of the Izvir Soče

In autumn is usually a lot of water.

Dry Brookbed of the Izvir Soče

Brookbed of the Izvir Soče leading up to the confluence with the Soča river regularly dry up, particularly in winters, during severe droughts also in summers, what we see on the picture above.

The Soča Riverbed in Zapouden

From the bottom and hips of the riverbed runs at a distance of 50 m the whole river at least twice more abundant than the brookbed of the Izvir Soče. The river here never dries up.

The Soča Riverbed Below the Confluence with the Izvir Soče

The Mlinarca

Just above the outflow mouth of the Korita Mlinarce collapsed about a thousand cubic meters of the left wall in the January 2011. The rockfall has not dammed water of the Mlinarca brook which from the left side enters to the Soča river.

Dry Riverbed of the Soča Below Berbica

In the Trenta valley below the Berebica mountain pasture (1250 m) the Soča river again regularly dries up to a distance of about 700 m to 1 km, depending on water conditions.

The V Tesneh

Here begins the Trenta valley and ends the Soča valley.

The Outflow Mouth of the Velika Korita

View on outflow mouth of the Velika Korita in the Soča valley is a little misleading, shows like that river springs out of the highest mountain on the horizon. It is not so, up to this point river flows nearly 18 km. The highest mountain on the horizon is Mt. Bavški Gritovc and below it is the Soča source in the neighboring valley.

The Confluence of the Lepenca and the Soča Rivers

Below the confluence the Soča becomes fairly large river.

The Zmuklica or the Ghjekrlca

Zmuklica or Ghjekrlca is the name of about 150 m long and 15 m deep evorsion channels with 8 m deep water and very strong current at low flow. Here the river left the Soča valley and entering the Bovec basin. The narrowest part of the channels is 1 m wide only, but 6 km far away on the Vrbulje and Prodi area the Soča river during floods spreads 600 m wide.

In the picture we can clearly see that the Korita are only a good meter wide.
Photo in (c) Žiga Dolinšek, 2020.

The Mangrškpotok

Above deep evorsion channels of Mangrškpotok brook rises new bridge at Mlinč. The brook is left upper source branch of the Predilnica brook. It is right tributary of the Koritnica river. In the evorsion channels of the Mangrškpotok the Predilnica brooks are many waterfalls.

The Kluška Korita

The Koritnica, the second spring branch of the Soča river, has excavated three evorsion channels. The most imposing are below the fortress Kluže. Under the bridge, where I took this picture Kluška Korita are 60 m deep.

The Čezsoški Prodi and the Vrbulje

Here is the Soča riverbed in the territory of the Republic of Slovenija widest, river water spreads 600 m wide, during floods.

Winter Scene of the Soča River near the Čezsoča Vilage

Cold, frost, ... shadow four months long. In the background rises Mt. Triglav (2864 m) above the Soča river.

The Boka Waterfall

The Boka is the name of the cave, the spring, the waterfall, the gorge and the torrent, right tributary of The Soča river.
Waterfall is imposing, the mouth 30 m wide, below it falls vertically 106 m deep (the highest waterfall in Posočje (the Soča drainage area and in Slovenija), followed by about 25 m sloped waterfall or steep rapids, then water flows over large boulders in the low waterfalls and rapids in approximately 700 m long, about 50 m wide and 200 m deep gorge to the confluence with the river. Interestingly, there is no large pools in the lower torrent bed of the Boka.
Boka flow is highly variable, with the highest flow rates over 100 m³/s. In such cases the water of the waterfall disperses that man is wet to the skin on the road bridge over the bed.

The Učja

The third spring branch of the Soča river is the Učja river, which flows in deep gorge between Kanin and Stol massifs. The first is on the left river side (as water flows).

The Otona

The mightiest, triple pool in the Soča upper course. The name is plural, (at Otonah, to Otonam).
Oton is an old Slovenian word for pool.

The Kobariška Soteska

In the Kobarid gorge, the Soča water level fluctuates by about 10 m.

The Kozjak

The Kozjak brook is left tributary of the Soča before Kobarid. The brook falls in several waterfalls. The mightiest waterfall is called Veliki Kozjak.
It freezes in severe winters, which are quite rare.

The Soča near the Kamno

We find also here beautiful winter scenes.

Valley of the Soča River near the Volarje

View from the Mt. Kolovrat (1243 m), in the background (from left hand side to the right one) valley of Mrzlica brook is the left spring branch of Volarnk brook, Rdeči rob (1913 m), Mrzli vrh (1359 m) and Tolminsko-Bohinjski ridge.

The Tolminka River at Confluence with the Azmica Brook

The Tolminka river is short left tributary of the Soča river flowing from high mountains.
The Azmica brook falling in many waterfalls on the other side of the Polog pasture and flowing into the Tolminka river from left side over stone plates.

The Sotočje

Confluence (the Sotočje) of the Soča and Tolminka rivers. The first one is turbid. Bright Tolminka flows as wedge into the Soča.

The Divje Jezero and the Jezernica

The Divje jezero (Wild lake) is with 160 m the deepest discovered karst spring in Slovenia. From it flows into the Idrijca river short tributary. It is called the Jezernica (lake river) and it is the shortest river in Slovenia, long is only 55 m.

The Idrca

The Idrca (Idrijca) river is the strongest tributary of the Soča in the middle course. The Idrca is characterized by green water.
Drainage area of the river with about 600 km² belongs to the Srednje Posočje (the middle part of the Soča basin).

Confluence of the Soča and the Idrca Rivers

A rare view on the confluence of the Soča and Idrca rivers in the Korita pod Miriščem below the Most na Soči when the Mostarsko jezero = artificial lake is emptied.
The Soča is turbid because of taking out debris. Waters do not mix at least about 500 m, as far as one could see.

Confluence of The Soča River and the Belokačnica Brook

The Vogršček torrent flows into the Soča as left tributary at an altitude of about 115 m.
Water flows in the Soča around ten times a year, or not at all, if it is a dry year. Most water just rushes out of the Babja jama cave as the Belokačnica brook. Flow combined with surface water of the Vogršček is very rare, it occurs only after long, heavy rains.
The Belokačnica brook flows into the Soča against their stream. This phenomenon is called opposite confluence. It is possible because of karst characters of the Vogršček, the Belokačnica and the Soča in this place. Therefore, the main river can not push a tributary down with the main flow, as it is normal at confluences.

The Soča Below the Ročinj

High, autumn the Soča under the conglomerate wall above the source of Toplice (water comes up to 24 ^oC).
The Toplice are usually submerged by the Ajbško jezero artificial lake.

The Soča in the Plave

Floods almost poured over the bridge due to damming of the Soča at Sovkan - Solkan.
Remains of trees on the top of the right middle brace was swept away by the flood on Monday, 5^th November, 2012.

The bridge will be raised.

Deep Riverbed of the Soča

At the Sovkan (Solkan) the Soča leaves middle course and slowly becoming a lowland river, but is still wild.
River is crossed by bridges. The first one in the picture is railway bridge (with the largest stone arch on Earth with 104 m length) and the second one is on road to Brda.

Wild, extremely high water Na Jezu

On the the channel was rolling around 2300 m³ of water, wood and debis per second on Monday, 5^th November, 2012 at 13 hours and 39 minutes, (in the picture).
Peak was on the same day at 4 pm with the movement around 2400 m³s^-1, the water level was a little less than half a meter higher than those in the picture.

15 more pictures of this extremely high water you can see here .

The Rapids Na Jezu

Below Sovkan - Solkan was built rowing course Na Jezu in the Soča riverbed. At high water it practiced by only skilled kayakers (on picture) and canoeists on wild rivers.

The Soča Below Bridge at the Pevma

Near Pevma and Podgora lowest villages of Brda in Italy, the Globoka struga Soče (deep channel) changes to normal depth.
There are so many boats on the water each year during the Soška regata in September.

Karst Inflow in the Lower Course

The arrows in the bottom right corner of the map of the Soča drainage network show a karst water connection between the stream of the Lokva in the Pojstojnska Basin and springs of the Vipava river, on the other side of the Nanos karst massif.
The Lokva flows over flysch drainage basin and sinks at the contact with limestones below the Jamski grad (cave castle).
Neighboring streams flowing into the Pivka river belongs to the Black Sea basin, but the Lokva to the Adriatic.

The Lokva Brookbed Below the Jamski Grad

Ponor of the Lokva

The Vipava Spring Pod Skalco

The Bejla (Bela) Evorsion Channels Above the Vrhpolje

The Hubl (Hubelj) Spring

At high discharges falls water of karst springs Hubl in more majestic waterfalls.

The Vipava River

The Vipava river near Kasule (Kasovlje).
It is left tributary of the Soča in the lower course near Sovodnje.
The Vipava has character of the lowland rivers in entire course with strong karst influence.

The Lijak Karst Spring

View from the Kras to karst spring the Lijak in SouthWest foothills of the Trnovski gozd and the bottom of the Vipava valley near the Renče.

In the background are the highest peaks of the Julian Alps.

The Nadiža River in the Deepest Gorge in Slovenija

Highly torrential the Nadiža river springs in two branches below the Mt. Musc (1630 m). At Robič in the right angle turns and cuts between the Mt. Mija (1237 m) and the Mt. Matajur (1642 m) in the deepest gorge of Slovenija, which exceeds 1000 m of depth.
In the Beneška Slovenija becomes the Nediža.

Confluence of the Nediža and the Ter Rivers

The Nediža flows from left into the Ter river, the biggest river of the Beneška Slovenija, between the Trivignan and Medejca.
Surprising thick pebbles (of up to 30 cm) in both riverbeds.

Confluence of the Nediža and the Ter Rivers from the Air

Gravels of the Ter River

Torrential rivers deposited near the Medeja, a little below of the confluence with the Nediža, a lot of gravel. The riverbed of the Ter is in the lower course dry most of the year.

Confluence of the Soča and the Ter Rivers

The Ter flows from left into the Soča river near the Turjak.

The Zdobje -Outflow of the Soča from Far Away

View on the Soča river mouth from the Trnovski gozd. In the foreground is lower Vipava valley, between is the Kras and on the horizon in gulf of the Tržič is stranded territory of the outflow.

The Zdobje - Mouth of the Soča at the Contact with the Adriatic Sea