Hydrographic Network

Hydrographic network of Zvornik municipality is well developed considering the fact that this area has a lot of water springs or small or large water flows. Higher water-levels are during springtime. The river Drina is the municipality’s hydrographic spine which, together with its tributaries, bears a significant hydro-energetic potential.
Rivers Drina and Sapna often flood surrounding agricultural land, thus causing terrible damage to agriculture, as well as residential and other facilities.
Due to numerous hydro accumulation points on river Drina and its tributaries in the upper part, cases of heavy downpours and high water levels can put Zvornik municipality territory in great danger from being flooded by Drina.


If the average water stream at Zvornik dam is between 800 and 1000 m3/sec, there is no danger from flood. However, if the water stream at Zvornik dam increases to 2500 m3/sec or more, special measures must be taken for protection in case of flood. Should the water stream reach 5500 m3/sec, lower parts of town – Begsuja, as well as parts of Karakaj, Celopek, Trsic, Tabanci, Kozluk, Rocevic and Srednji Sepak will be flooded. In case of 9000 m3/sec water stream, Zvornik will be flooded from the river bank all the way to Svetog Save street and Lisicnjak, as well as Vuka Karadzica street and all localities from Zvornik to Branjevo and all agricultural areas from the banks of river Drina to the Zvornik - Bijeljina road.

River Sapna with its basin area of 104 km2, and 25 km of length, can reach maximum stream of 14 m3/sec. Due to the big water power pressure from upper and middle parts of the stream and small fall of water stream in lower part, Sapna often floods the surrounding land. Critical situations are those when Sapna and Drina have high water levels at the same time. In such situations, Sapna floods majority of fertile land and great number of residential and other facilities, as well as roads Karakaj – Setici and Karakaj – Bijeljina.
Other flowing waters such as: Hoca, Zlatica, rivers of Kozluk, Jasenica, Kamenica and Lokanj, are torrent-like and by flowing out from their beds they hugely damage agriculture, as well as residential and economic facilities.
Hoca brook’s basin area is about 45 km2, and its water stream is 18 km long. Upon heavy downpours maximum water stream reaches 1.5 m3/sec and floods the terrain around its water bed, particularly in Karakaj region, thereby threatening the industrial facilities and great number of residential facilities, and causing enormous material damage.
Zlatica brook flows through the town, and its basin area is about 5 km2 whereas the length of its water stream in urban area is 3.3 km. Maximum water stream of Zlatica is recorded in June 1987 - about 75 m3/sec. That is when the water flowed out from its bed flooding the buildings of the Zvornik Healthcare Center, as well as other numerous residential and other facilities, causing great material damage.
Both of the above mentioned brooks are under regulation measures, but not enough has been done and no protection guarantees have been given in case of new catastrophic downpours. Until the final regulation of these flows, prohibition of residential building in the region under flood risk is necessary.
Rivers of Kozluk, Jasenica, Kamenica and Lokanj also flood occasionally upon high water levels thus causing damage to agricultural land and residential and other facilities. Kozluk and Jasenica rivers are under certain prevention measures greatly influence reducing the consequences of flood.

Beside the above mentioned, in case of natural disasters, heavy downpours on the red mud dams of Alumina factory "Birac", or in case of strong earthquake, the water can flood or break the earth dams that could release the red mud and damage the area surrounding rivers Sapna and Drina. This would have terrible consequences on agricultural crops and on residential and business facilities, as well as the facilities along the river Sapna and road Karakaj-Setici, from Djulici to Celopek and Karakaj.
Considering the structure of the mud and great concentration of alkali, the outflow potentially represents a great danger for lives of people of this part of municipality.