Waters from the Slovak karst territory are drained by the autochthonous rivers (these originate directly in the karst territory) and allochthonous rivers, which of origin area is located in the non-karstic region of the adjacent mountains.
The main allochthonous stream is the Slana River. All streams drained the Slovak karst territory flow in this river. The Slana River forms a young, undeveloped drainage pattern. In the territory of the Slovak Karst the river flows in a narrow and deep canyon and collects short tributaries only. In addition to them the Slana River is fed by the underground affluents of the karstic waters.
The river Bodva near the Jasovksa Cave (62kB).
Next important allochthonous streams flowed across the karstic region are the Stitnik river and Bodva river (on picture). Both flows are being refilled with karstic waters. The stream Stitnik flows in the canyon between the plateaus Plesivska Plateau and Plateau of Koniar at west margin of the Slovak karst. The Bodva River flows on east border of the karstic rocks therefore one has unsymmetrical drainage pattern. Up to Medzev, where the river touches the karst region, and on its left side the Bodva river has a typical treelike river system.
In the Bodva river basin small allochthonous streams are the brooks Blatnicky channeled the Zadielska tiesnava Gorge (on picture) and the Hajsky brook flowed through Hajska dolina Valley. On their heads and in flat after leaving of the karstic region the river gradient is small. The stream gradient increases through the karstic area. There are numerous rapids, cascades and some waterfalls on the brook beds in the karstic rocks. The brooks don't lose water by infiltration into underlying stratum but ones gain some portion from underground karstic channels.
The mouse of the Zadielska tiesnava Gorge (51kB).
The regular surface drainage pattern is in karstic region virtually absent. The atmospheric precipitation fallen on the territory of the karstic plateaus infiltrate apart from the portion of the whole evaporation. The river network is taken into underground. They outflow on surface by the numerous springs in the intermontane basins only. This way makes the foundation of the autochthonous river drainage.
A typical autochthonous stream is the Turna River, which rises in the slopes of the Silicka Plateau built of the lower Triassic sandstone - shale beds. Because these are practically impermeable, a comparatively dense river system creates here. The shape of the Turna river pattern is half - feathery therefore it is bounded by the karstic plateau of the Dolny vrch Plateau on the right side of river. Another autochthonous stream is the Cremosna brook, which touches the north border of the Horny vrch Plateau by its left side.