Trebišnjica River

Useful Information

Location:
Open:	no restrictions. [2026]
Fee:	free. [2026]
Classification:	Ponor Karst Spring Subaquatic Spring
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	Labove=96.5 km, Lunderground=90 km.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:
Address:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1965	river dammed at the village of Gorica.
1967	Bilećko Lake floods the springs.
1979	HE Čapljina with 8 km long hydro-energetic tunnel and two reservoirs completed.

Description

The Trebišnjica River is an impressive geologic sight which is typical for the karst. The springs of the river are numerous, there are three springs called Trebišnjica wellsprings group near Bileća. There are three river caves named Dejanova Pećina, Vrelo Oko, and Nikšičko Vrelo where water flows out of the cave entrance and soon the three brooks meet. A second group is called Čepelica spring-group near the homonymous hamlet. They produce the 2 km long seasonal river which is a main tributary of Trebišnjica River. The river is in total 180 km long and half of this length is underground, the river sinks in ponors and reappears after some distance in karst springs. This happens three times and finally the river sinks in a distance of 12 km from the coast. The water flows underground to the sea and reappears in submarine sweet water springs in the sea harbor of Slano, but part flows into the Neretva river to the north, and another part reappears in the Izvor Omble near Gruž.

Trebišnjica was a wild, unpredictable river, which was quite calm in late summer with low water. But in winter after heavy rains it roared and thundered, and often frightened the neighbours, who always respected its force. The water was used for irrigation and as drinking water for cattle, but the drawback was that it occasionally and unpredictable flooded and destroyed the crops. The locals used the river for transport of mud and sand with barges and rafts called “catara”. They also used a type of barge with two paddles for recreation.

Unfortunately this river does not exist any more, at least not in the way we described it above. Today there are artificial lakes and the river is replaced by a canal, so there is no underground flow any more. As a matter of fact man tries to influence this river for centuries, with some astonishing results during the last century. Several ponors or sinks were filled with concrete, water was dammed and canalized and even the production of electricity with two hydroelectric power plants is now reality. The springs of the river are now flooded by a lake named Bilećko jezero (Bileća Lake). In 1979 the river bed was concreted for a length of 67 km. The river is of great geologic interest and the power company is eager to explain the geographic, geologic and technological background. They destroyed the great geotopes nevertheless.

In other words, and that’s quite sad, not a single spring, ponor or resurgence of this river still exists and is accessible. We decided to list it anyway, because it’s possible to visit the polje and follow the canal which replaced the river. Also, it explains for example the origin of the water of Izvor Omble, which is also listed and is a spectacular sight.