Ruhr (river)
Ruhr | |
---|---|
Essen-Kettwig | |
Location | |
Country | Germany |
State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Kahler Asten |
• elevation | 870 m (2,850 ft) |
Mouth | |
• location | Rhine |
• coordinates | 51°27′3″N 6°43′22″E / 51.45083°N 6.72278°E |
Length | 219.2 km (136.2 mi) [1] |
Basin size | 4,485 km2 (1,732 sq mi) [1] |
Discharge | |
• average | 79 m3/s (2,800 cu ft/s) |
Basin features | |
Progression | Rhine→ North Sea |
Tributaries | |
• left | Lenne, Volme |
• right | Möhne |
The Ruhr is a river in western Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia), a right tributary (east-side) of the Rhine.
Description and history
The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 670 metres (2,200 ft). It flows into the lower Rhine at an elevation of only 17 metres (56 ft) in the municipal area of Duisburg. Its total length is 219 km (136 mi), its average discharge is 79 cubic metres per second (2,800 cu ft/s) at Mülheim near its mouth. Thus, its discharge is, for example, comparable to that of the river Ems in Northern Germany or the River Thames in the United Kingdom.
The Ruhr first passes the towns of
.The
During
Lakes
There are five Ruhr reservoirs on the river, often used for leisure activities.
- Hengsteysee between Dortmund and Hagen, surface area: 1.36 km2 height of the weir 4.5 m
- Harkortsee between Herdecke and Wetter; surface area: 1.37 km2, height of the weir 7.8 m
- Kemnader See between Witten and Bochum; surface area: 1.25 km2, height of the weir 2 m
- Essen-Werden; surface area: 2.64 km2, height of the weir 8.5 m
- Kettwiger See in Essen-Kettwig; surface area: 0.55 km2, height of the weir 6 m
Tributaries
The main tributaries of the Ruhr are (from source to mouth):
- Left: Berkelbach, Voßmecke, Neger, Elpe, Valme, Nierbach, Henne, Kelbke, Wenne, Mühlenbach, Röhr, Bachumer Bach, Haßbach, Scheebach, Wimberbach, Hönne, Abbabach, Baarbach, Elsebach, Wannebach (Ergste), Lenne, Volme, Sprockhöveler Bach, Deilbach, Oefter Bach, Rinderbach
- Right: Hillebach, Gierskoppbach, Gebke (Meschede), Kleine Gebke, Gebke (Wennemen), Wanne, Möhne, Wannebach (Westhofen), Borbach, Wannenbach, Hörsterholzer Bach, Knöselsbach, Rumbach
See also
- Ruhr (area)
- Occupation of the Ruhr (1923–1924)
- Nearby rivers: Rhine, Lippe, Emscher
- Ruhrpolen: the Poles of the Ruhr
References
Notes
Sources
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ruhr". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
External links
- Media related to Ruhr at Wikimedia Commons