Zarqa River
The Zarqa River (Arabic: نهر الزرقاء, Nahr az-Zarqāʾ, lit. "the River of the Blue [City]") is the second largest tributary of the lower Jordan River, after the Yarmouk River. It is the third largest river in the region by annual discharge and its watershed encompasses the most densely populated areas east of the Jordan River. The Zarqa rises in springs near Amman, and flows through a deep and broad valley into the Jordan, at an elevation 1,090 metres (3,580 ft) lower.
| Zarqa River | |
|---|---|
Zarqa River | |
| Etymology | Arabic زرقاء, "the blue river" |
| Native name | نهر الزرقاء |
| Location | |
| Country | Jordan |
| Governorate | Zarqa Governorate, Jerash Governorate, Balqa Governorate |
| Cities | Amman, Zarqa, Jerash |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | 'Ain Ghazal |
| • location | Amman |
| • elevation | 776 m (2,546 ft) |
| Mouth | Jordan River |
• elevation | −313 m (−1,027 ft) |
| Length | 65 km (40 mi) |
| Basin size | 3,900 km2 (1,500 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Jordan River |
| • minimum | 2 m3/s (71 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 8 m3/s (280 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Wadi Dhuleil |
At its spring lays 'Ain Ghazal (Arabic: عين غزال), a major archaeological site that dates back to the Neolithic. Archaeological finds along the course of the river indicate the area was rich in flora and fauna in the past.
The river is heavily polluted and its restoration is one of the top priorities for the Jordanian Ministry of the Environment.
Geologically, the Zarqa River is about 30 million years old. It is well known for its amber deposits that date back to the Hauterivian era of the Early Cretaceous, 135 million years ago. A remarkable flora and fauna was reported from this amber reflecting tropical paleoenvironmental conditions prevailing during the time of resin deposition.