The Sajó (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈʃɒjoː] SHOH-yoe, Hungarian) or Slaná (Slovak) is a river in Slovakia and Hungary.

Sajó
Slaná
The river between Sajóvámos and Szirmabesenyő
Current and watershed of the Sajó River in Slovakia and Hungary
Location
CountriesSlovakia and Hungary
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationStolica Mountains
 • coordinates48°46′34.4388″N 20°12′34.6464″E / 48.776233000°N 20.209624000°E / 48.776233000; 20.209624000
 • elevation1,229 m (4,032 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Tisza
 • coordinates
47°56′37″N 21°06′51″E / 47.9437°N 21.1142°E / 47.9437; 21.1142
 • elevation
91 m (299 ft)
Length229.4 km (142.5 mi)
Basin size12,708.3 km2 (4,906.7 sq mi)[1] to 12,869.6 km2 (4,969.0 sq mi)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationTiszaújváros, Hungary (near mouth)
 • average65.6 m3/s (2,320 cu ft/s) to 78.623 m3/s (2,776.5 cu ft/s)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationMiskolc (53.205 rkm; Basin size: 6,245.8 km2 (2,411.5 sq mi)
 • average35.087 m3/s (1,239.1 cu ft/s)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationKazincbarcika (88.4 rkm; Basin size: 4,361 km2 (1,684 sq mi)
 • average24.473 m3/s (864.3 cu ft/s)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationBánréve, Sajópüspöki (123.6 rkm; Basin size: 3,204.7 km2 (1,237.3 sq mi)
 • average20.55 m3/s (726 cu ft/s)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationRožňava (Rozsnyó, 177.5 rkm; Basin size: 301.53 km2 (116.42 sq mi)
 • average3.264 m3/s (115.3 cu ft/s)[2]
Basin features
ProgressionTiszaDanubeBlack Sea
Tributaries 
 • leftTakta, Hernád, Bódva, Szuha
 • rightSzinva, Bán-patak, Hangony, Rimava, Turiec, Muráň, Štítnik

Its length is 229 km, of which 110 km is in Slovakia. Its source is in the Stolica Mountains range of the Slovak Ore Mountains. It flows through the Slovak town Rožňava and the Hungarian city Miskolc. In Hungary Sajó flows through the county of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén. It flows into the River Tisza near Tiszaújváros. Its main tributaries are the Bodva and the Hornád. It is also known for the Battle of the Sajó River from 11 April 1241 between the Mongol Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary.

Geography edit

Catchment area of the Sajó river by country:[3]

River Area by country
Slovakia   Hungary  
(km2) (%) (km2) (%)
Sajó 3,217 25.3 2,328 18.3
Bódva 858 6.8 869 6.8
Hernád 4,423 34.8 1,013 8.0
8,498 66.9 4,210 33.1
Sajó River Basin 12,708 km2 100.0%

Important hydrological stations along the Sajó river:[3][2]

Station River kilo-meter (rkm) Altitude (m) Basin size (km2) Average discharge (m3/s)
Hungary  
Tiszaújváros (near mouth) 0.0 91 12,869.6 78.623
Kesznyéten 10.5 94 12,131.9 75.582
Ónod 34 104 6,691 36.701
Felsőzsolca 50.9 114 6,591.9 36.276
Miskolc 53.9 116 6,591.9 36.146
Kazincbarcika 88.4 135 4,361 24.473
Sajópüspöki, Bánréve 123.6 155 3,204.7 20.55
Slovakia  
Lenartovce (Sajólénártfalva) 127.2 157 1,829.65 14.5
Bretka (Beretke) 149.8 193 889.12 6.075
Rožňava

(Rozsnyó)

175.5 276.6 301.53 3.264
Gemerská Poloma (Veszverés) 184.3 320.9 201.6 2.622
Vlachovo (Oláhpatak) 198.6 412 123.16 2.051
Vyšná Slaná (Felsősajó) 201.3 440.9 60.28 0.696

Tributaries edit

Complete list of streams (slovak 'potok'; Hungarian 'patak') and rivers flowing into the Sajó (from the estuary upwards):[2][4][1]

Left

tributary

Right tributary Length (km) Basin size (km2) Average discharge (m3/s)
Hungary  
Inér-háti-főcsatorna 10.2 55 0.089
Takta 63.8 620.6 2.951
Hejő-Szarda-övcsatorna
Hernád 282.2 5,436.4 38.555
Kis-Sajó 20.9 85.8 0.16
Szinva 18.5 159.4 0.733
Bábony-patak 9.5 26.9 0.122
Bódva 110.7 1,727.3 9.983
Harica 20.1 86.1 0.292
Alacska-patak 6.6 10 0.049
Szuha 40 211.6 0.982
Tardona-patak 18.9 47.2 0.206
Bán-patak 23.9 260.3 0.893
Galgóc-patak 3.1
Zsuponyó-patak 7.5 17 0.094
Szörnyűvölgyi-patak 6 10.3 0.051
Mercse-patak 10.6 30.1 0.16
Hangony 30.9 295.2 1.033
Keleméri-patak 15.6 60.3 0.19
Slovakia  
Rimava (Rima) 88 1,368.6 7.912
Lúčka 7.2
Neporadzský potok 8.2 0.091
Konský potok 10 0.139
Kaloša 15.1 146.6 0.27
Hubovský potok 9.2
Turiec (Turóc) 46.2 370.5 2.072
Chinča 9.8 0.111
Gemerský potok 3.8
Lapša 9.5
Muráň (Murány) 48.8 413.2 3.118
Sograd' 8.3 0.064
Androvský potok 3.4 0.167
Mlynský
Štítnik (Csetnek) 32.8 229.6 1.715
Egressy potok (Egres-patak) 4.2
Čremošná (Csermosnya-patak) 29 142 0.968
Honský potok 12.8 26.23 0.189
Rožňavský potok 13.34 42.3 0.332
Betliarsky potok 7.9 0.124
Capašsky potok 5.3
Súl'ovský potok 14.2 57.66 0.462
Kolesárský potok 6.2
Dolinský potok
Lučica 4.9
Henckovský potok 3
Pališov potok 2.9
Kobeliarovský potok 6.76 15.65 0.138
Gampel'ský potok 3.4
Gočovský potok 2.9
Vlachovský potok 5.3
Dobšinský potok (Dobsina) 15.5 57.32 0.578
Žoltkovský potok 6.5
Potôčik
Mlynná
Krokovský potok 1.9
Rovniansky potok 5.5
Skalný potok
Trsteník 3.5

Etymology edit

The origin of the name is the subject of scholar discussions. Hungarian linguists and historians suggested the derivation from the Hungarian sojó, só folyó (salt water, river) already in the 19th century.[5] Newer theories associate the name with sió referring to fast streams. According to Slovak linguists the name is pre-Hungarian (Slaná: salt river) and most likely not associated with the salinity but with the salt road existing already in times of Great Moravia. The supporters argue by numerous Slavic toponyms in the river basin and by local names related to soľ (salt) and Moravia like Moravce, Soľár, Solišče, Soľka, Soľník, Morava (according to this interpretation the Hungarian name is a later translation).[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b MAGYARORSZÁG HIDROLÓGIAI ATLASZA-I. Folyóink vízgyűjtője-A Sajó.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "TISZA".
  3. ^ a b "VÍZÜGYI HONLAP".
  4. ^ "OMA.sk-Slovensko".
  5. ^ Krško, Jaromír (2013). "Rudolf Odraz multietnicity karpatského regiónu v slovenskej hydronymii". In Žeňuch, Peter; Uzeňova, Elena; Žeňuchová, Katarína (eds.). Jazyk a kultúra na Slovensku v slovanských a neslovanských súvislostiach (in Slovak). Bratislava: Slavistický ústav J. Stanislava SAV, Slovenský komitét slavistov a Zemplínske múzeum v Michalovciach. p. 71. ISBN 978-80-89489-11-4.
  6. ^ Krško, Jaromír (2009). "Rudolf Krajčovič: Živé kroniky slovenských dejín skryté v názvoch obcí a miest – recenzia". Acta Onomastica (in Slovak) (L). Praha: Ústav pro jazyk český AV ČR: 204–209. ISSN 1211-4413.