Wda

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Wda
Location
Country	Poland
Physical characteristics
Mouth
• location	Vistula
• coordinates	53°24′42″N 18°28′45″E / 53.4117°N 18.4792°E / 53.4117; 18.4792
Length	198 km (123 mi)
Basin size	2,325 km2 (898 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	6.52 m3/s (230 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Vistula→ Baltic Sea

The Wda (

in Poland. It is 198 km long and the surface of its catchment area amounts to 2325 km². The Wda's average gradient is 0.7‰ and its flow is 6.52 m³/s.

The Wda begins its course at

routes.

Geography

The source of Wda is on

Wdecki Landscape Park

.

There is one river's canal below Wdzydze Lake. The river reaches Tleń, then flows across Wysoczyzna Świecka and ends in Wisła in Świecie on Dolina Fordońska.

Lakes

• Krężno
• Wieckie
• Lubiszewskie
• Schodno
• Radolne
• Wdzydze
• Żurskie

The Wdzydze Lake along with lakes Gołyń, Jeleń and Słupinek are called Morze Kaszubskie.^[1] This lakes take a shape of the cross made of postglacial channels. Wdzydze Lake is dangerous for inexperienced canoeists during strong winds.

Towns

• Lipusz
• Borsk
• Wojtal
• Czarna Woda
• Wda
• Błędno
• Tleń
• Żur
• Świecie

Flora and fauna

The Wda runs through many multispecies deciduous forests, in which contains diverse lichens. The river meanders also through riparian and alder forests. Rare mountain ash

. This region of Poland houses species like: .

History

The name “Wda” has been already used in the Middle Ages, but the river is also known as Czarna Woda. This name comes from dark brown colour of water caused by marshy banks, mineral molecules in water and sludge from tar factories in the 19th century. After World War I tourism started developing on Wda and about 40 years later Wda earned its title of The Queen of The Rivers of Kociew and The Beauty of The Land of Kociew.^[2]

Hydroelectric power stations

On the Wda's route are three hydroelectric power stations located in

. In this area canoeists need to portage their canoes to the further part of the river.

Attractions

Along the route of Wda some attractions can be found. First of them is a 19th-century Neogothic church in

Kaszubski Park Etnograficzny

, containing wooden dwelling houses, farms and windmills. The oldest once date back to the 17th century. The archeological reserve “Kamienne Kręgi”^[3] near the towns of Odry and Miedzno consists of 12 mysterious stone circles and 20 burial mounds, which are remains from Goths and Gepids. has a memorial for the victory of Polish and Soviet guerrilla fighters over the German army (27 X 1944). Next monument on Wda's route is a castle of the .

See also

• Rivers of Poland

References

Sources

• http://visitkujawsko-pomorskie.pl/rzeka-wda,178,2,1109.html
• http://www.splywy.pl/wda/wda_dok.htm
• Galiński Z., Przewodnik dla kajakarzy. Wda, Pascal, 2003.