FLASH FLOODS IN THE ILIŞUA BASIN
G. HOGNOGI , G. NICULA, GABRIELA COCEAN
ABSTRACT. – Flash Floods in the Ilişua Basin. The Ilişua Valley is a right
tributary of the Someşu Mare Valley and has its spring in the south-western part
of the Tibleş Mountains. It is a perennial river, and its maximum flow sometimes
exceeds the national multi-anual average. One manifestation of this high flow is
represented by two types of flash floods: the ones caused by heavy rainfall and
the ones caused by the both heavy precipitation and the melting of snow. These
two types of flash floods have specific characteristics not only in terms of
causes but also in the happening, the impact area and the scale or proportions
of damage. These features are further explained in the analysis of two flash
floods that have taken place on May 12-17, 1970 and June 20-21, 2006. The
occurence of these extreme hydrological phenomena in the basin and their impact
upon nature, people and infrastructure makes the need of more hydrological
survey a fact.
Keywords: Ilişua Valley, flash floods, precipitation, causes, damage.