User:A09/Kanomljica

The Kanomljica is a river in western Slovenia and the second largest left tributary of the Idrijca after the Nikova torrent. The river forms the 14-kilometre-long Kanomljica valley between the slopes of the Vojskarska and Krniško-Masorska plateaus, making it the largest valley in the Idrija Hills. The Kanomljiška valley covers an area of 40.85 km2[1] Many of the Kanomljika's tributaries are torrential ravines and smaller streams, the larger ones being the Klavžarica (right), the Beli potok (right), the Bratuševa and Rošpohova grapa (both right), the Govšarca (left), the Jakliška grapa (right), and, before emptying into the Idrijca River, the Prevcova grapa (left).

Etymology The river is mentioned in 1335 as Colomba, in 1550 as Canombler Tall, in 1577 as Wasserfluss Canombla, in 1744 as Conobla Fl. [Fluss], 1780 Kanombla, Kanobla; and in 1823 as Kanomla. The name originated as a hypochorist from the anthroponym Kanomyslъ. The toponym is similar to some other Slovenian toponyms, such as Dragomelj and Dragomlja vas. The word originates from the archaic participial base of the anthroponym, which has been preserved to this day only in toponymy[2].

Geology The valley represents the fault zone of the Idrija Fault, which flows from Idrija through the Kanomeljska Rift, continues northwest along the valley and flows through Oblak vrh into the Hotenjska valley.[3]

The Kanomljica, like other rivers in the area, once flowed into the Ljubljanica basin, but later, due to a combination of the shading of the Ljubljanica basin and the local predominance of erosion, it flowed into the Soča basin, and today it flows mostly in the direction of the faults, as evidenced by the knee-shaped valley with its blurred intermediate stages. [3] The former course and the present course of the river are identical between the source at Oblak's Peak and the Hladnik homestead, and from there the Kanomljica flowed along today's Rošpoh ravine, forming the Kanomeljska Rift and then the mouth of the valley of today's Ljubevščica stream on the other side of the Idrija. Another interpretation is that another overflow occurred between Hladnik and Razpotje, lowering the present-day saddle. After the overflow, the river deepened its channel by 660 m over a period of 5.3 million years. The tributaries of the Kanomljica in the lower Kanomelj valley are extremely watery at the junction of the Anisian and Scythian strata[4].

The valley floor is occasionally formed by Paleocene felsic layers, which have been preserved due to their low position resulting from tectonic movements.[3] The valley has an average altitude of 671 m and a slope of 28°. The valley is dominated by rheniferous soils (78 % of the surface area[1]), with some post-carbonate and distric and eutric soils. The valley slopes are dolomitic, of carbonate clasts or limestone[1].The density of watercourses in the Kanomljika catchment area is 1,79 km/km2. The Kanomljica forms a small river plain at the mouth of the Idrijca at Spodnja Idrija. The middle Kanomlica is characterised by the first signs of scarring in the Cretaceous limestones, and the Vojkova Cave, the Cave at Studenček and the Cave above the spring at Šinkovčeva žaga are also located here. The scarring is the result of a tectonic window between the otherwise Upper Jurassic dolomites[4] In the Ilova Gorge, the Kanomljica River enters the three-hundred-metre-long Klama Gorge, which was carved out of the limestone by the Kanomljica River. In the gorge, the Kanomljica River partially submerges, where it merges with parts of the water of the Ovčjakarica and Vovška gorges and flows out into the open in Zbir.[5]

The area of the valley is at high risk of landslides, with several small landslides occurring in the Gorenje Kanomlje area in 2006 and 2007. One third of the Kanomlje valley is at risk, with the most threatened slopes being those made of carbonate-clastic rocks[6].

Flora and fauna The dominant land categories in the valley are forest, pasture and meadow[7] Ninety per cent of the area is covered by forest. [1] The area of Sredna Kanomlje also supports the rare flattened two-awn (Diphasiastrum complanatum) and the common greasewood (Pinguicula vulgaris), as well as the cat's-ear toadflax (Ophrys apifera). Stands of grey willow (Lamio orvale) and the large-flowered dead nettle (Alnetum incanae) thrive along the river. The protected spotted sedge (Carex punctata), the spreading horsetail (Equisetum ramosissimum) and the muhly (Eriophorum) also thrive in the wider valley area[8].

The river is also home to the brown trout (Salmo marmoratus) and the common brown trout (Austropotamobius torrentium)[9].

Social geography The villages of Gorenja Kanomlja, Srednja Kanomlja and Spodnja Kanomlja are located in the Kanomljica river basin. The urbanised area comprises only Lower Kanomlja downstream to the confluence with the Idrijca, while the upper part of the valley is rural. The valley is characterised by a decline in population, with 1 524 people (37 people/km2) living in all three settlements in 1900, compared to only 676 (17 people/km2) in the 2002 census, while the population of the Lower Kanomlja and Lower Idrija conurbations is growing.[7] The population of the valley is also declining, with 1 524 people (37 people/km2) living in all three settlements in 1900, compared to only 676 (17 people/km2) in the 2002 census.

History The valley was first mentioned in 1355 in a gift treaty between the Patriarchate of Oglele and the nobles of Chedad, and is said to have been inhabited by ten peasants who made their living by herding, handicrafts and seasonal work. Iron ore was mined in the valley for a short time in the 16th century and processed in the area of present-day Fežino in Lower Idrija. One of the largest farms in the Kanomelj valley was the Šturmajce homestead, where around 70 people worked and lived in the 19th and 20th centuries, and which is now preserved as a farm museum. Between 1812 and 1813, the Ovčjaže slaughterhouses were built on the Ovčjaže brook, a right tributary of the Kanomljice river, to supply the timber for the Idrija mine. These have now been converted into a small hydroelectric power station