SOIL EROSION IN THE RIVER BASIN ZELJEZNICA, AREA OF BAR, MONTENEGRO

According to the recently adopted general plan of protection against the harmful effect of waters for the period 2011–2017, the territory of the Municipality of Bar is a typical torrential area, with annual precipitation up to 2,000 mm. The conditions of pronounced slopes, as well as the specific geological and hydro-geological properties of the area, and the zone of the municipality between Mt. Rumija and the sea, in particular, result in a large number of quite pronounced torrents. This paper presents part of the results of research on erosion processes in the coastal area of Montenegro for the region of Bar, which is intersected by several torrential watercourses, of which the most significant one is the ?eljeznica, which with its tributaries Rena and the Rikavac, flows through the very centre of the city and has a large influence on the use of the surrounding land. The factors causing soil erosion, erosion forms and expansion and measures to protect against erosion and torrents were studied. Finally, the intensity of soil erosion and runoff for the basin of the River ?eljeznica was calculated using the computer-graphic method IntErO. The analyses indicated that there is a possibility for large flood waves to appear in the ?eljeznica river basin. According to Gavrilovi? classification, the value of the Z coefficient, 0.949, and the value of 1899 m³/km²/year indicate that the river basin belongs to the category II destruction class. The strength of the erosion process is high. The findings indicate that it is a region of strong erosion.