Gave de Pau

Gave de Pau
Gave de Pau in Orthez
Location
Country	France
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Pyrenees
Mouth
• location	Gaves réunis
• coordinates	43°32′24″N 1°5′24″W
Length	181.3 km (112.7 mi)
Basin size	5,200 km2 (2,000 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	82 m3/s (2,900 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Gaves réunis→ Adour→ Atlantic Ocean

The Gave de Pau (French pronunciation: [ɡav də po]) is a river of south-western France. It takes its name from the city of Pau, through which it flows. The river is 181.3 kilometres (112.7 mi) long (190.7 kilometres (118.5 mi) including the Gaves réunis), and although its source is considered to be on the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees mountains waters feed it from the slopes of Monte Perdido in Spain. From the Lago Helado on the slopes of Perdido water works through a cave system to emerge from the Resurgence Brulle via the Grotte Devaux on the French side of the border. The Gave de Pau joins the Gave d'Oloron in Peyrehorade to form the about 9-kilometre (6 mi) long Gaves réunis (united Gaves), which is a left tributary of the Adour. The Gaves réunis is often considered to be part of the Gave de Pau.

Its main tributaries are the Béez, the Néez, the Ouzoum and the Ousse.

The Gave de Pau flows through the following départements and towns:

• Hautes-Pyrénées: Argelès-Gazost, Lourdes.
• Pyrénées-Atlantiques: Pau, Orthez.
• Landes: Peyrehorade.

Maintenance work on the bed of the river