The Crișul Negru (Black Criș) (Romanian), is a river in western Romania (Transylvania) and south-eastern Hungary (Békés County). The river has its source in the western Apuseni Mountains of Romania. Flowing through the Romanian towns of Ștei and Beiuș and crossing the border of Hungary, the river, now called Fekete-Körös, joins the Fehér-Körös a few kilometres north from Gyula to form the Körös river. In Romania, its length is 164 km and its basin size is 3820 km2. Part of the water from the river Crișul Repede is diverted towards the Crișul Negru by the Criș Collector Canal.

Hydronymy

The name of this river comes from earlier Dacian Krísos, which meant "black", making this a doublet (cf. Bulg čer "black", Old Church Slavonic čǐrnǔ, Old Prussian kirsnan, Albanian sorrë "raven") with Romanian negru "black". The upper course, upstream from the confluence with the Crișul Băița, is sometimes called Crișul Poienii.

Towns and villages

The following towns and villages are situated along the Crișul Negru, from source to mouth: Vașcău, Ștei, Rieni, Drăgănești, Tărcaia, Beiuș, Șuncuiuș, Uileacu de Beiuș, Șoimi, Căpâlna, Tinca, Batăr, Avram Iancu, Zerind in Romania, and Sarkad in Hungary.

Tributaries

The following rivers are tributaries to the Crișul Negru (from source to mouth):