The Pozas del Río Nacimiento are a karst spring located in the Barranco de la Topera, within the Sierra de Cázulas, in the municipality of Otívar (Granada). Physically, it appears as a spring where water gushes forcefully, forming jets from a hole at the junction between the hillside and an old, nearly vanished forest trail. The elevation of the site is 696 meters, and the average flow rate ranges from 10 to 100 liters per second, being particularly abundant in winter due to additional nearby outcrops. This spring is the source of the Río del Nacimiento, which, after joining the Río de las Chorreras at the Junta de los Ríos, forms the Río Verde, part of the Andalusian Mediterranean basin. From the viewing point, visitors can observe the water emerging vigorously toward the Barranco de la Topera, within a geological and biological setting of great interest in the Sierra de Tejeda, Almijara, and Alhama Natural Park, a site protected under the Natura 2000 network. The area is bordered by scrub vegetation and trees typical of the Sierra de Los Guájares, with groundwater outcrops from the Sierra de Los Guájares mountain range. The site is traditionally known as a pool from which water gushes forth in spurts, although access is currently difficult and public use is low. The site’s significance is reflected in its inclusion in guides to Andalusia’s springs and water sources, its protected status within the Natural Park, and its role as the source of a significant watershed. The best time to visit is in winter or spring, when the flow is at its peak and nearby outcrops are more abundant, allowing visitors to appreciate the power of the karst spring in all its splendor.
