Natural resources
Relief
Geographic position – latitude 43º49' and 23º14' longitude, 20 m above sea level. The highest point in the municipality is 194 m located at the village of Dobridol. The relief is plain and hilly. The North region of the humus area is slightly rough, undulating, slightly sloping from North to South flat forms. The region of Lom is included in the North-Bulgarian forestry zone. The human activity has changed the direction of soil formation in many aspects. The braking of the areas, the cutting and the destroying of the forests has led to change in both vegetation and climate factor.
Climate
The municipality is included in the North climate region of the Danubian hilly plain. This region includes the lowest part of the Danubian plain; its South border is 30-40 km from the Danube river. The closeness to the mountain chains Stara Planina and Carpati as well as the remoteness from big water basins influence on the climate in the region. Formed under the influence of ocean and continental air flows from the temperate latitude, the climate is temperate continental with cold winter and hot summer. The average annual temperature is 12,1ºС.
The average temperature during winter is -0,2ºС with the lowest temperatures reaching -24ºC. The lowest measured temperature is -29,9ºС. The winter colds are usually combined with frequent winds which are North-Western in the region of Lom. The first snow cover is formed approximately on 5-10 of December and earlier depending on the year. The average number of days with snow cover is 65 (December – 12, January – 23, February – 19 and March – 11). The number of days with snowfall is 21. The earlier snowfall and later snow thawing are typical for the region. The summer is hot. The average temperature is +22,4ºС and the highest degrees reach +30º-40ºС. The highest temperature measured during the summer is 42,3ºС.
The regime of the winds is defined by the direction of the valley of the Danube River and it is changing depending on the season. The North-West, West, North and North-East winds predominate. The South-East and East winds are slightly affecting. The average speed of the wind is 2,0 m/sec and the average number of days with strong wind is 22. The hewing of the protective zones on the territory of the municipality created a precondition for increase of the windy erosion. The number of foggy days during the year is 30-40 due to the location of the municipality in the lowland of the Danube River and Lom River; the highest number of foggy days is in November and December. The average yearly cloudiness is 5,2 degrees and the highest cloudiness during November and December reaches 7,0 and 7,4 degrees.
The average dampness of the air is 74%, the lowest is in July and August – 60%, the highest – in December and January – 85%.
The duration of the period without vegetation (from the lowering of the average daily temperatures under –5ºС in the autumn until their raise above +5ºС in the spring) is 130 days compared to 100 days which is the shortest period for the country. In the region, the average date of the permanent keeping of the average daily temperatures above +5ºС is 13-14 March in the spring.
The average duration of the period with temperature above +5ºC is 254 days.
Soils
The soil-forming rock is the loess as the sandy loess takes narrow strip on the Danube shore; the standard loess covers the rest of the region. The carbonated and the typical chernozem developed over loess are widespread (in the South part of the region) and the meadow soils are less widespread (at the river valley of Lom river). On the shore of the Danube River there are alluvial soils. The chernornozem is characterized with deep soil profile. There is strong humus horizon which gradually turns into soil-forming rock – loess. The power of the humus horizon is from 35 to 75 sm and the one of the soil is between 80-120 sm. According to their mechanical structure the soils are moderately sandy clay. The mechanical structure in the bounds of the soil profile is homogenous. They are comparatively well-stocked with organic substance. The carbonated chernozems has good aeration and good water permeability and require more watering but with smaller amounts of water.
Rainfall
The annual rainfalls for the region of Lom are between 550-600 ml/m2. The most rainfalls are in May and June – 50-90 ml/ m2 and the least – August, September and February – 20-30 ml/ m2. The average annual sum of the rainfalls is 579 l/ m2, in the spring and summer it is 316 l/ m2 and in winter – 263 l/ m2. They are divided by half-year: winter (October-March) and summer, vegetation (April-September) the quantity of the rainfalls is almost equal.
The towns and villages which are most likely to be hit by hails are situated from North-West to South-East (Lom-Svilengrad). In the last century there is no effective struggle against the hailstorms in Lom region and due to this there are huge losses for the field cultures.
Ores and minerals
The region of the municipality is quite poor of ores and minerals. A point of interest represents small formations of peat in the North-West part of the Danube River valley, on the lands of villages of Dobridol and Slivata. There is an unworked field of lignite coal in the vicinities of Lom which was formed during the Pleiocene, in depth of 70 m however situated among shifting sands that hardens their mining.
There are several quarries for extraction of clay, for production of bricks and roof-tiles which are not presently functioning.
There are no significant sources of minerals and geo-thermal waters.
Greenery
The greenery is typical for the temperate continental zone – grain and bean cultures, vegetables, fruit plantations, vineyards, tobacco, low-stemmed forests (small amount, mainly on the steep slopes) – maple, ash-tree, elm-tree, hazel, lime-tree, oak, acacia and at the lowlands of the water areas – willow and poplar.
Page updated: 15.02.2012
Content validity: 31.12.2012
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