Large canyons in Dinaric and Prokletije mountains region of Montenegro

Abstract

Montenegro occupies relatively small, southeastern part of the Dinaric mountains. Geological composition, which is predominantly carbonate, enabled formation of a great number of deep canyons and gorges. Canyons of Montenegro were formed in several ways, during multiple phases. Regardless of polygenetic and polymorphic character of the canyons, they can be classified into three main groups. By incision of melt-water rivers of Pleistocene glaciers, deep and particularly narrow canyons of small width were formed. The rivers that presently flow through these canyons have a nival regime - during the summer, their discharge is minimal, or they completely dry out. Depths of these canyons are up to 500 m. Rivers that directly feed into the Adriatic sea are of torrential character. They have pluvial regime, and dry out during the summer. Their canyons are short, several hundreds of meters deep. Deepest and longest canyons have been formed by incision of rivers that have changed their regimes during a longer period of time. Melt-water of Pleistocene glaciers has incised the greatest parts of canyons at the beginning of Holocene. Presently, river courses have nival-pluvial regime. In this group, single-phase and multiple-phase canyons can be distinguished (alteration of erosional and accumulation processes). Depths of these canyons exceed 1000 m.