# Sefid-Rud

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{{Short description|River in northwestern Iran}}
{{about|the river in Iran|the village in Iran|Sefid Rud, Iran}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Sepidrud
| native_name = {{native name|glk|Sepid-e-Rud}}
| name_other = Sefidrud
| name_etymology = <!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP -->
| image =
| image_size = 
| image_caption = 
| map = Sefidrivermap.png
| map_size = 
| map_caption = Sefīd-Rūd drainage basin
| pushpin_map = 
| pushpin_map_size = 
| pushpin_map_caption = <!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [Iran](/source/Iran)
| subdivision_type2 = [Provinces](/source/Provinces_of_Iran)
| subdivision_name2 = [Gilan](/source/Gilan_province)
| subdivision_type3 = 
| subdivision_name3 = 
| subdivision_type4 = 
| subdivision_name4 = 
| subdivision_type5 = City
| subdivision_name5 = [Rasht](/source/Rasht)
<!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS -->| length = {{convert|670|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| width_min = 
| width_avg = 
| width_max = 
| depth_min = 
| depth_avg = 
| depth_max = 
| discharge1_location = 
| discharge1_min = 
| discharge1_avg = 
| discharge1_max = <!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES -->
| source1 = 
| source1_location = [Alborz Mountains](/source/Alborz_Mountains)
| source1_coordinates = 
| source1_elevation = 
| mouth = [Caspian Sea](/source/Caspian_Sea)
| mouth_location = 
| mouth_coordinates = 
| mouth_elevation = 
| progression = 
| river_system = 
| basin_size = 
| tributaries_left = [Qizil Owzan](/source/Qizil_Owzan)
| tributaries_right = [Shahrood](/source/Shahrood_River)
| custom_label = 
| custom_data = 
| extra = 
}}
The '''Espi Bie/Ru''' ({{langx|glk|اسپی روٚ کوٚتام/ اسپی بیه سرا
or سیوید/سپید/سفید-روٚ /بیه}})(Meaning White river in [Gilaki](/source/Gilaki_language)) is a [river](/source/river), approximately {{Convert|670|km|mi|0}} long, rising in the [Alborz mountain range](/source/Alborz) of north-western [Iran](/source/Iran) and flowing generally north-east to empty into the [Caspian Sea](/source/Caspian_Sea) at [Siahkal](/source/Siahkal).[https://www.britannica.com/place/Safid-River]
==Names==
Other names and transcriptions include '''Sepīd-Rūd''', '''Sefidrud''', '''Sefidrood''', '''Sepidrood''', and '''Sepidrud'''. Above [Manjil](/source/Manjil), "Long Red River".<ref name="Fortescue2">Fortescue, L. S. (April 1924) "The Western Elburz and Persian Azerbaijan" ''The Geographical Journal'' 63(4): pp. 301-315, p.310</ref><ref name="Rawlinson">Rawlinson, H. C. (1840) "Notes on a Journey from Tabríz, Through Persian Kurdistán, to the Ruins of Takhti-Soleïmán, and from Thence by Zenján and Ṭárom, to Gílán, in October and November, 1838; With a Memoir on the Site of the Atropatenian Ecbatana" ''Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London'' 10: pp. 1-64, p. 64</ref>

[William Smith](/source/William_Smith_(lexicographer)) equated the river with the [Amardus](/source/Amardus) ({{langx|grc|Ἀμάρδος}}) or Mardus (Μάρδος) river of antiquity.<ref>{{Cite DGRG|title=Amardus}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Charles Rollin|title=The Ancient History of the Egyptians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Medes, Persians, Macedonians, the Selucidae in Syria, and Parthians., Volumes 3-4|page=30|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xEoZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA30|year=1860|place=Cincinnati|publisher=J.W. Sewell & Co.|accessdate=August 23, 2018}}</ref>

The river is historically famous for its abundant [fish](/source/fish), especially the [Caspian trout](/source/Caspian_trout), ''[Salmo trutta](/source/Salmo_trutta) caspius''.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120722035516/http://www.caspianenvironment.org/biodb/eng/fishes/Salmo%20trutta%20caspius/main.htm "Salmo trutta caspius,  Kessler, 1870" Caspian Environment Programme]}}</ref>

==Geography==
The Sefid-Rud has cut a water gap through the [Alborz mountain range](/source/Alborz), the [Manjil](/source/Manjil) gap,<ref name="Fortescue">Fortescue, L. S. (April 1924) "The Western Elburz and Persian Azerbaijan" ''The Geographical Journal'' 63(4): pp. 301-315, p.303</ref> capturing its two headwater tributaries, the [Qizil Üzan](/source/Qizil_%C3%9Czan) and [Shahrood](/source/Shahrood_(River)) rivers. It then widens the valley between the [Talesh Hills](/source/Talysh_Mountains) and the main [Alborz](/source/Alborz) range. The gap provides a major route between [Tehran](/source/Tehran) and [Gīlān Province](/source/G%C4%ABl%C4%81n_Province) with its Caspian lowlands.<ref name="Fortescue"/>

In the wide valley before the Sefid-Rud enters the [Caspian Sea](/source/Caspian_Sea), a number of transportation and irrigation canals have been cut; the two biggest are the Khomam and the Now.<ref>Rabino, H. L. (November 1913) "A Journey in Mazanderan (From Resht to Sari)" ''The Geographical Journal'' 42(5):  pp. 435-454, p. 435</ref>

===Dam and reservoir===
The Sefid-Rud was dammed in 1962 by the [Shahbanu Farah Dam](/source/Manjil_dam) (later renamed [Manjil Dam](/source/Manjil_dam)),<ref name="Beaumont">Beaumont, Peter (1974) "Water Resource Development in Iran" ''The Geographical Journal'' 140(3): pp. 418-431, p.428</ref> which created a {{convert|1.86|km3}} [reservoir](/source/reservoir) and allowed the irrigation of an additional {{Convert|2380|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Beaumont"/> The  reservoir mediates some flooding and significantly increased rice production in the Sefid Rud delta.<ref>Gittinger, J. Price (October 1967) "Planning and Agricultural Policy in Iran: Program Effects and Indirect Effects" ''Economic Development and Cultural Change'' 16(1): pp. 107-117, p. 110</ref><ref>Carey, Jane Perry Clark and Carey, Andrew Galbraith (1976) "Iranian Agriculture and Its Development: 1952-1973" ''International Journal of Middle East Studies'' 7(3): pp. 359-382, p. 372</ref> The hydroelectric component of the dam generates 87,000 kilowatts.<ref name="Beaumont"/> The completion of the dam had a negative impact on the river's fisheries, through reduced stream flow (due to diversion), increased water temperature, and decreased food availability, especially for [sturgeon](/source/sturgeon) but also for the Caspian trout.<ref>[http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/004/Y2785E/y2785e02a.htm Jackson, Donald C.  and Marmulla, Gerd (2001) "The Influence of Dams on River Fisheries: Regional Assessments: 3.2.2 Southern and Central Asia, Kazakhstan, and the Middle East"] (accessed 28 November 2008),  ''In'' Marmulla, Gerd (ed.) (2001) ''Dams, fish and fisheries: Opportunities, challenges and conflict resolution'' (FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 419)  Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, {{ISBN|92-5-104694-8}},  citing Vladykov, Vadim D. (1964) ''Report to the Government of Iran on the Inland Fisheries Resources of Iran, Especially of the Caspian Sea with Special Reference to Sturgeon''  (Expanded program of technical assistance, Report No. 1818) Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, {{OCLC|236127104}}</ref>

thumb|center|800px|{{center|360° View of the Sefīd-Rūd, with bridge on left.}}

==History==
thumb|Sefidrood river near Rasht-Iran
The river was known in antiquity as '''Mardos''' ({{langx|el|Μαρδος}}; {{langx|la|Mardus}}) and '''Amardos''' ({{langx|el|Αμαρδος}}; {{langx|la|Amardus}}).<ref name="Rawlinson"/> In the [Hellenistic](/source/Hellenistic_civilization) period, the north side of the Sefid (then Mardus) was occupied by the [Cadusii](/source/Cadusii) [mountain tribe](/source/mountain_tribe) .<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0198;query=chapter%3D%2342;layout=;loc=11.14.1 Strabo, xi. 13]</ref>

[David Rohl](/source/David_Rohl) proposes identification of Sefid-Rud with the Biblical [Pishon](/source/Pishon) river.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Sefidrood.jpg
File:Sefidrood2.jpg
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://en.ostan-kd.ir/Default.aspx?TabId=62#p3-1 "Sefid Rood Watershed"] ''Economic potentials of Kurdistan Province in the fields of Water, Agriculture and Natural Resources'' Ministry of Interior, Islamic Republic of Iran

{{coord|37.4692|N|49.9422|E|source:kolossus-dewiki|display=title}}

{{Rivers of Iran}}

Category:Rivers of Gilan Province
Category:Alborz (mountain range)
Category:Tributaries of the Caspian Sea
Category:Landforms of Kurdistan province
Category:Landforms of East Azerbaijan province
Category:Landforms of Ardabil province
Category:Landforms of Zanjan province
Category:Landforms of Qazvin province
Category:Landforms of Tehran province
Category:Landforms of Gilan province

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sefid-Rud](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sefid-Rud) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sefid-Rud?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.