Eleshnica river

The Eleshnica springs at an altitude of 2173 meters above sea level from Osogovo mountain, 400 meters southwest from peak Ruen (2251 meters), the tallest peak of the mountain.

In its entirety, the river flows in a deep, weakly afforested valley. In its first 17 kilometers of riverbank, it flows parallel to the border with North Macedonia. Thereafter, it takes a turn northeast until Vaksevo village, then it turns north, and after Chetirtsi village takes a sharp turn east, and after 2 kilometers flows into the Struma at 437 meters above sea level. The river often floods during its peak water levels.[1]

The river basin has a total area of 358 km² which is 2,07% of Struma's basin.[2]

Fish species can be met like Salmo macedonicus, Squalius orpheus, Phoxinus phoxinus, Alburnoides strumicae, Alburnus alburnus, Chondrostoma vardarense, Gobio bulgaricus, Barbus Cyclolepis, Barbatula bureschi, Cobitis strumicae.[3]

Eleshnica river receives the majority of its water due to rain-snow feeding and reaches its maximum during April. The minimum amount of water in the river is reached in August. Eleshnica is the most turbid river in Bulgaria.[4]

Along the flow of the river, there are seven villages.

• In Kyustendil Municipality - Sazhdenik;
• In Nevestino Municipality - Chekanets, Rakovo, Stradalovo, Vaksevo, Drumohar, Chetiritsi.