The Lizandro (Portuguese pronunciation: [liˈzɐ̃dɾu]) also known as Ribeira do Mourão, Ribeira de Anços, Ribeira dos Tostões, Ribeira de Cheleiros, is a river in the district of Lisbon, Portugal. The exact location of its source is unknown, due to a lack of studies. Its mouth is located in Carvoeira, Mafra, Portugal, on a beach named Foz do Lizandro,[1] which has a Blue Flag beach certification.[2] The river's basin has three protected areas: two limestone pavements (Campo de lapiás da Granja de Serrões and Campo de lapiás de Negrais) and the boulder of Lexim.[1] The Cheleiros' valley, through which Lizandro passes through, has been immortalized in Memorial do Convento by José Saramago (the Convent mentioned in the title is the Convento de Mafra).[1]

Lizandro
Beach at the mouth of the Lizandro river
Lizandro River is located in Portugal
Lizandro
Lizandro
Lizandro within Portugal
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationnear Almargem do Bispo, Sintra
 • coordinates38°54′01″N 9°17′22″W / 38.9004044°N 9.2895519°W / 38.9004044; -9.2895519
 • elevation300 m (980 ft)
MouthBeach of the Mouth of the Lizandro (Praia da Foz do Lizandro)
 • location
west of Carvoeira, Mafra
 • coordinates
38°56′30″N 9°24′57″W / 38.941674°N 9.415708°W / 38.941674; -9.415708
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Basin features
River systemLizandro Basin
Tributaries 
 • leftRibeira da Cabrela
 • rightRibeira dos Tostões, Ribeira do Lexim, Ribeira da Mata, Regueiro da Serra, Rio Pequeno, Ribeira da Vidigueira

River modifications

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The Fort of Zambujal (of the Lines of Torres Vedras) was constructed during the Napoleonic Wars near the Lizandro's mouth, to provide support to the British fleet.[3]

The following bridges cross over the Lizandro river:

  • The Nossa Senhora do Ó bridge, of Roman construction.[4]
  • The old bridge of Cheleiras,[5] of Roman or medieval construction.[6]
  • A bridge that is part of the National route EN247.[7]

About 1.5 km from the coast, a sewage treatment facility was inaugurated in 2015. The facility was built with four tanks, but, as of 2017, it only uses a maximum of two (during Summer). The number was determined based on an expectation of significant population growth in Mafra and Ericeira. Practically all (99%) of the material removed from the water is turned into fertilizer and the remaining is combusted.[8]

In 2018, an Ecological Park was built in Venda do Pinheiro,[9] including a playground, a transport hub, a library, and an interpretation centre dedicated to the Lizandro River.[10]

Natural history

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The following species of fish have been documented on the Lizandro river:[11]

In 1993, fish (namely, hundreds of mullets) were found dead on the shore. An industrial origin seemed unlikely as the river has no nearby factories, but domestic sewage is discharged into the river.[12]

In 2018, the beach Foz do Lizandro was temporarily interdicted due to elevated concentration of escherichia coli.[13]

Economy and recreation

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The river's beach has been the stage (along with Ericeira) of "Surf Summits", a Web Summit pre-conference.[14]

There is an annual raft competition (there have been four as of 2019) in the river, where people go down the river in their own rafts.[15]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Conhecer o Rio Lizandro" (PDF). SETA - Soc.Port. para o Desenvolvimento Educação e Turismo Ambiental. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Blue Flag". Blue Flag. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  3. ^ "Fortalezas.org > Fortification > Fort of Zambujal". fortalezas.org. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  4. ^ "Ponte de cantaria (Senhora do Ó) | e-cultura". www.e-cultura.pt. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  5. ^ "Viagem pelo património classificado do município de Mafra | Ponte Antiga em Cheleiros - Jornal de Mafra". Jornal de Mafra (in European Portuguese). 2019-03-14. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  6. ^ "Ponte antiga em Cheleiros". Património Cultural, DGPC.
  7. ^ "Obras na ponte sobre o rio Lizandro limitam trânsito quarta-feira". PÚBLICO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  8. ^ "A nova melhor amiga do Rio Lizandro e dos seus "habitantes"". Jovens Repórteres para o Ambiente (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  9. ^ "Câmara de Mafra inaugura no sábado Parque Ecológico da Venda do Pinheiro - DN". www.dn.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  10. ^ Estrelas e Ouriços. "DO CENTRO INTERPRETATIVO AO SKATE PARQUE". estrelaseouricos.sapo.pt. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  11. ^ Diogo, Ricardo; Albuquerque, António; Ferreira, Maria (2000). "Distribuição espacial das comunidades piscícolas da região hidrográfica Ribeiras do Oeste e sua relação com os factores ambientais".
  12. ^ "Peixes mortos no rio Lizandro" (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  13. ^ "Levantada hoje a proibição de banhos na Praia da Foz Lizandro-Rio - Jornal de Mafra". Jornal de Mafra (in European Portuguese). 2018-07-27. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
  14. ^ "No fim de semana a Ericeira e a Foz do Lizandro voltam a receber o Surf Summit - Jornal de Mafra". Jornal de Mafra (in European Portuguese). 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  15. ^ "4ª Descida do Rio Lizandro em Jangadas – Carvoeira". www.jf-carvoeira.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-07-14.