Zarqa River
| Zarqa River (نهر الزرقاء) | |
| River | |
 Zarqa River
|
|
| Name origin: Arabic زرقاء, "the blue river" | |
| Country |  Jordan |
|---|---|
| States | Zarqa Governorate, Jerash Governorate, Balqa Governorate |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Wadi Dhuleil |
| Cities | Amman, Zarqa, Jerash |
| Landmark | Jordan River |
| Source | 'Ain Ghazal |
| - location | Amman |
| - elevation | 776 m (2,546 ft) |
| Mouth | Jordan River |
| - elevation | −313 m (−1,027 ft) |
| Length | 65 km (40 mi) |
| Basin | 3,900 km2 (1,506 sq mi) |
The Zarqa River (Arabic: نهر الزرقاء, Nahr az-Zarqāʾ, lit. "the Blue River") is the second largest tributary of the lower Jordan River, after the Yarmouk River. It is the third largest river in the region by annual discharge, and its watershed encompasses the most densely populated areas east of the Jordan River. It rises in springs near Amman, and flows through a deep and broad valley (which is identified with the biblical Jabbok River) into the Jordan, at an elevation 1,090 metres (3,580 ft) lower. The river is heavily polluted and its restoration is one of the top priorities for the Jordanian Ministry of the Environment.
The Zarqa River is commonly identified with the biblical Jabbok River (Hebrew: נָּחַל יַבֹּק, Nahal Yabok).
Geologically, the Zarqa River is about 30 million years old. At the river's origin is 'Ain Ghazal, a major archaeological site that dates back to the Neolithic. Archeological finds along the course of the river indicate the area was rich in flora and fauna in the past. The Zarqa River is well known for its amber deposits that date back to the Hauterivian era of the Early Cretaceous (135 m.y.). A remarkable flora and fauna was reported from this amber reflecting tropical paleoenvironmental conditions prevailing during the time of resin deposition (Kaddumi, 2005; 2007).
The modern Arabic name, Nahr az-Zarqa' (نهر الزرقاء) means "the blue river", where nahr means river and zarqa' () means blue.
The Zarqa River is identified with the biblical river Jabbok (Hebrew: ). The Biblical Jacob crossed the Jabbok on his way to Canaan, after leaving Harran. It leads west into the Sukkot Valley, from where one crosses over the Jordan and can easily reach Shechem, as Jacob eventually did. The biblical cities of Zaretan and Adam are also at the mouth of the valley.
...
Wikipedia