The River Urumea has a length of 59.4 kilometres from its source in the Navarrese municipality of Goizueta, 33 of which run through the province of Gipuzkoa. It has an average temperature of 13.5ºC and the seasonal and annual variations in its flow are less pronounced than in other basins in Gipuzkoa, and the natural regulation of the basin is very high.
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History of the Urumea River
San Sebastian is the capital of Gipuzkoa and the fourth most populous city in the Basque Country, with 186,122 inhabitants at the 2011 census. Situated at the eastern end of the Bay of Biscay, San Sebastian stretches from west to east between the Igeldo and Ulia mountains, and from south to north along the River Urumea until it meets the sea near the old town, in the shelter of Mount Urgull.
The Urumea River and Mount Urgull are useful landmarks for navigating around San Sebastian. To the west is the famous bay of La Concha, protected by the island of Santa Clara, with the beaches of La Concha and Ondarreta (see article: Río Alagón).
The history of its waves is an integral part of the history of San Sebastian. This beach is still the setting for places where the epic times of the wild waves can be relived. By passing on their experiences, they have created their own wave-based culture.
He starred in epic sessions and pipes in important championships such as the Capbreton Pro Junior or the Zarauz Pro, which are still talked about today. At just 20 years of age, he was up against world class surfers and knocked out more than one of them.
Local features
The lower course of the Urumea has wide, flat banks suitable for crops and urban development, which has made it the most populated basin in Gipuzkoa, with 212,564 inhabitants. The main town on the river is Hernani.
The first industrial areas (paper, chemical, aluminium, elevator, etc.) are located upstream from Astigarraga, which is famous for its cider makers, and the final stretch winds its way through different parts of Donostia.
The main concentration of cider producers is in a strip on the left bank, near Hernani, and on a byway on the right bank, on the border between Astigarraga and the outskirts of Donostia (see article on the Guadiela River).
Map of the river Urumea
It is a river in the Basque Country, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of a number of Basque rivers that flow into the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic basin) and is best known as the river that flows into the city of San Sebastian.
Hydrology of the Urumea
The water quality is fairly good, although it deteriorates slightly downstream as it approaches the estuary (moderately good condition), where the city of Donostia is located. Recently, however, work has been carried out to treat and purify the water, resulting in an excellent environmental recovery.
The construction of a breakwater at the eastern end of the Urumea estuary in 1994 widened the beach at La Zurriola, encouraging more bathers and having an irreversible effect on the nature of the waves (see article: Pechora River).
Surfing in the Urumea River
Have you ever wondered if it would be possible to take off on an ocean wave and finish the ride in the centre of a city? Well, it’s not a dream, it’s reality. The Rio Urumea is an excellent surfing spot for all Iberian surfers.
On big swell days, local surfers, stand-up surfers, longboarders, bodyboarders and riders know they’re in for a great day of surfing. There’s even room for tandem surfing couples – can you imagine?
Surfers start their endless ride at the mouth of the Urumea River, while others prefer to avoid the bridge and join the wave train a few metres later. Hodei Collazo, one of Spain’s best surfers, has joined the endless ride fever.
The local surfers of Donostia / San Sebastian know when it’s time to enjoy their special wave and run from all parts of the Basque city to the banks of the Urumea River to put on their wetsuits and jump into the water (see article: Torío River).
Tourists are amazed by what they see, but the locals are already familiar with the Urumea’s surfing fever. The surf wave from the Donostia / San Sebastián river is not a tidal wave, but a strong swell that enters the Urumea through the ocean.