Ouzoum

Ouzoum
Origin	Litor Circus 42°57′42″N 0°17′23″W / 42.96167°N 0.28972°W / 42.96167; -0.28972
Mouth	Gave de Pau 43°10′14″N 0°14′50″W / 43.17056°N 0.24722°W / 43.17056; -0.24722
Basin countries	France
Length	33 km
Source elevation	1 131 m
Avg. discharge	6.85 m³/s
Basin area	163 km²

The Ouzoum or Ouzom (/ uzũ /), is a left tributary of the Gave de Pau, in the Southwest of France, between the Génie longue and the Béez.

It flows into the Gave in Nay, upstream from Pau.

Name

Historical graphies were oscillating between the voiced -s- and the unvoiced -ss-: Oson (1441), Osom, Osson, Ozon (1538), le Lozon (1581), l'Ouson (1585).^[1][2]

This name could be related with the Pyrenean hydronym Ousse.^[3]

Geography

The valley of the Ouzoum is separated in two distinct parts by a 9-km-long narrow pass. The villages located in the upper part of the valley (Arbéost and Ferrières) belong to the Hautes-Pyrénées and have relationships with the Val d'Azun, on the other side of the mountain. On the other hand, the lower part of the valley, close to Pau, is Béarnese (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

The Ouzoum rises at Cap d’Ouzom ('head of Ouzom'; 1 131 m), in the Litor Circus dominated by the Grand Gabizos (2 692 m). This circus is in relation with the Val d'Azun through the Col du Soulor (1 474 m) and with the Ossau Valley through the Aubisque Pass (1 709 m) .

After the basin of Ferrières, the Ouzoum flows through a narrow pass bordered by steep limestone slopes. The valley widens after Arthez-d'Asson.

Its hydrographic regime is pluvionival.

Départements and towns

• Hautes-Pyrénées: Arbéost, Ferrières
• Pyrénées-Atlantiques: Asson, Arthez-d'Asson, Igon, Nay.

Notes and references

• http://www.geoportail.fr
• The Ouzom at the Sandre database

1. ^ Paul Raymond, Dictionnaire topographique du département des Basses-Pyrénées, 1863.
2. ^ at this time the o was pronounced /u/.
3. ^ Michel Grosclaude, « L'hydronyme Ousse », Dictionnaire toponymique des communes du Béarn, 1991, p. 390.