Olt (river)


The Olt is a river in Romania. It is long, and its basin area is. It is the longest river flowing exclusively through Romania. Its source is in the Hășmaș Mountains of the eastern Carpathian Mountains, near Bălan, rising close to the headwaters of the river Mureș. It flows through the Romanian counties Harghita, Covasna, Brașov, Sibiu, Vâlcea and Olt. The river was known as Alutus or Aluta in Roman antiquity. Olt County and the historical province of Oltenia are named after the river.
Sfântu Gheorghe, Râmnicu Vâlcea and Slatina are the main cities on the river Olt. The Olt flows into the Danube river near Turnu Măgurele.

Towns and villages

The following towns and villages are situated along the river Olt, from source to mouth : Bălan, Sândominic, Miercurea Ciuc, Sfântu Gheorghe, Făgăraș, Brezoi, Călimănești, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Drăgășani, Slatina, Drăgănești-Olt.

Tributaries

The following rivers are tributaries of the river Olt :
For supply of drinking water and water for irrigation and for the production of hydroelectricity, 44 reservoirs have been built in the Olt river basin. There are 24 reservoirs for hydropower on the river Olt itself, and three on its tributary Lotru. There are hydropower plants at Voila, Viștea, Arpaș, Scoreiu, Avrig, Gura Lotrului, Turnu, Călimănești, Dăești, Râmnicu Vâlcea, Râureni, Govora, Băbeni, Ionești, Zăvideni, Drăgășani, Strejești, Arcești, Slatina, Ipotești, Drăgănești, Frunzaru, Rusănești and Izbiceni. The total energy production of the 43 hydropower plants in the Olt basin was 2,980 GWh in 1996.

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