Someș

Someș
The Someș at Letca, Sălaj County
The Someș fringed by fuchsia
Other name(s)	Szamos
Etymology	Dacian word Samus ("agitated", "whirling", "piebald")
Countries	Romania, Hungary
Cities	Dej, Jibou, Ulmeni, Satu Mare
Basin features
Main source	Confluence of Someșul Mare and Someșul Mic 47°8′41″N 23°54′48″E / 47.14472°N 23.91333°E / 47.14472; 23.91333
River mouth	Tisza 122 m (400 ft) 48°06′50″N 22°20′22″E / 48.1140°N 22.3394°E / 48.1140; 22.3394Coordinates: 48°06′50″N 22°20′22″E / 48.1140°N 22.3394°E / 48.1140; 22.3394
Progression	Tisza→ Danube→ Black Sea
Basin size	18,146 km2 (7,006 sq mi)
Tributaries	Left: Someșul Mic, Sălaj Right: Someșul Mare, Lăpuș
Waterbodies	7
Physical characteristics
Length	415 km (258 mi)
Discharge	Average rate: 114 m3/s (4,000 cu ft/s)

The Someș (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈsomeʃ]; Hungarian: Szamos; German: Somesch or Samosch), located in northwestern Romania, is a left tributary of the Tisza in Hungary. It has a length of 415 km (258 mi) (including its source river Someșul Mare), of which 50 km are in Hungary. The Someș is the fifth river as length and debit in Romania. The hydrographic basin forms by the confluence at Mica, a commune about 4 km upstream of Dej, of Someșul Mare and Someșul Mic rivers. Someșul Mic (formed by the confluence of Someșul Rece with Someșul Cald) originates in the Apuseni Mountains, and Someșul Mare springs from the Rodna Mountains.

Someșul Mare has a length of 130 km and an area of 5,033 km² and a slight asymmetry in favor of the left side of the basin. For the entire basin of Someș, the asymmetry on left becomes pronounced between Dej and Ardusat to change in the opposite direction after receiving Lăpuș River on the right side. The valley of Someșul Mare has much auriferous alluvium that, until the early 20th century, were brought to the surface using traditional tools. Specialists say that in the Someșul Mare were found grains of gold of 21 carats.

The Someș drains a basin of 18,146 km² (7,006 sq mi), of which 15,740 km² (6,080 sq mi) in Romania. Its basin comprises 403 rivers with a total length of 5,528 km, or 7% of the total length of the country. Basin area represents 6.6% of the country area and 71% of the area of Someș–Tisza hydrographic basin.