The Rialb River

The Rialb River (Alb or Riaup) crosses the Segre Rialb Consortium region through some places of great ecological and scenic value, and has an interesting associated fauna. Its name comes from low Latin "rivus albus" (river Alb), a river distinguished by the whitish colour of its calcareous bed.

It is a tributary of the Segre that rises in the town of Bóixols, in the Pallars Jussà region, and thereafter descends towards the county of La Noguera. The river course can be divided into three sections: the upper, middle and lower stretches, all of which are very different and the latter two of which are located in the Segre Rialb Consortium region. The middle stretch begins at the Forat de Buli, a point of exceptional charm and beauty. It is here that the Rialb River, after running underground, rises again with great force, in a canyon formed by rock walls of up to 200 metres high and an exceptional site for canyoning. The lower section has been altered as a result of the construction of the Rialb Reservoir, which now lies on its course.