Weser River

Weser River

Infobox_River
river_name = Weser


caption = The Weser near Bad Oeynhausen.
origin = Fulda and Werra
mouth = North Sea
basin_countries = Germany
length = 452 km
elevation = 117 m
discharge = 327 m³/s
watershed = 46,306 km²

The Weser (IPA2|ˈveːzɐ) is a river in north-western Germany. Formed at Hann. Münden by the tributary (confluence) of the Fulda and Werra, it flows through Lower Saxony, then reaching the historic (Hanseatic League) port city of Bremen before emptying into the North Sea 50 km further north at Bremerhaven, which is also a seaport. On the opposite (west) bank is the town of Nordenham at the foot of the Butjadingen Peninsula; thus, the mouth of the river is located in Lower Saxony. The Weser has an overall length of 452 km. Together with its Werra tributary, which originates in Thuringia, its length is 744 km.

Etymology

Linguistically, the name of both rivers, Weser and Werra, goes back to the same source, the differentiation being caused by the old linguistic border between Upper und Lower German, which touched the region of Hannoversch Münden.

The name "Weser" is linked to other rivers such as the "Wear" in England and the "Vistula" in Poland, all of which are ultimately derived from the root *"weis-" "to flow", which gave Old English/Old Frisian "wāse" "mud, ooze", Old Norse "veisa" "slime, stagnant pool", Dutch "waas" "lawn", Old Saxon "waso" "wet ground, mire", and Old High German "wasal" "rain".

Course

The Weser river is the longest German river to reach the sea the course of which lies entirely within the national territory.

The top section of its course leads through a hilly region called the Weserbergland. It extends from the confluence of the Fulda and the Werra to the Porta Westfalica, where it runs through a gorge between two mountain chains, the Wiehengebirge in the west and the Weserbergland in the east.

Between Minden and the North Sea, it has largely been canalised, permitting ships of up to 1,200 tons to navigate it. Eight hydroelectric dams are located along its length. Further downstream, it is linked to the Dortmund-Ems Canal via the Küstenkanal, and another canal links it at Bremerhaven to the Elbe River. A large reservoir on the Eder river, the main tributary of the Fulda, is used to regulate water levels on the Weser so as to ensure adequate depth for shipping throughout the year. The dam, built in 1914, was bombed and destroyed by British planes in February 1943, causing massive destruction and approximately 70 deaths downstream, but was rebuilt within four months. Today, the Edersee reservoir is a major summer resort area and provides substantial hydroelectricity.

The Weser enters the North Sea in the southernmost part of the German Bight. In the North Sea it splits up into two arms representing the ancient riverbed at the end of the last ice age. These sea-arms are called "Alte Weser" (old Weser) and "Neue Weser" (new Weser). They represent the major waterways for ships heading for the harbors of Bremerhaven, Nordenham and Bremen. The northernmost point of the Weser is marked by the "Alte Weser" lighthouse. This lighthouse replaced the historic and famous "Roter Sand" lighthouse in 1964.

Tributaries

The largest tributary of the Weser is the Aller, which joins south of Bremen. The tributaries of the Weser and the Werra (from source to mouth) are:

Left

* Ulster
* Fulda, with Eder
* Diemel
* Große Aue
* Hunte

Right

* Nesse
* Aller
* Lesum (Wümme)

Notable towns

Towns along the Weser, from the confluence of Werra and Fulda to the mouth, include: Hann. Münden, Beverungen, Höxter, Holzminden, Bodenwerder, Hameln, Hessisch Oldendorf, Rinteln, Vlotho, Bad Oeynhausen, Porta Westfalica, Minden, Petershagen, Nienburg, Achim, Bremen, Brake, Nordenham, Bremerhaven.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Weser River — River, western Germany. Formed by the union of the Fulda and Werra rivers at Münden, it flows northward into the North Sea through a large estuary. It is 273 mi (440 km) long. There are several hydroelectric dams on the Weser, and it is linked… …   Universalium

  • Weser River — noun a river in northwestern Germany that flows northward to the North Sea near Bremerhaven • Syn: ↑Weser • Instance Hypernyms: ↑river • Part Holonyms: ↑Germany, ↑Federal Republic of Germany, ↑Deutschland, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Battle of the Weser River — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of the Weser River partof=the Roman Germanic wars caption= battle name=Battle of the Weser River date=16 place=On the Weser River result=Minor Roman victory combatant1=Roman Empire combatant2=Germanic… …   Wikipedia

  • Weser — This article is about the river in Germany. For the river in Eastern Belgium, see Vesdre. Coordinates: 53°32′8″N 8°33′56″E / 53.53556°N 8.56556°E / …   Wikipedia

  • Weser — noun a river in northwestern Germany that flows northward to the North Sea near Bremerhaven • Syn: ↑Weser River • Instance Hypernyms: ↑river • Part Holonyms: ↑Germany, ↑Federal Republic of Germany, ↑Deutschland, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • river — river1 riverless, adj. riverlike, adj. /riv euhr/, n. 1. a natural stream of water of fairly large size flowing in a definite course or channel or series of diverging and converging channels. 2. a similar stream of something other than water: a… …   Universalium

  • Weser — [vā′zər] river in NW Germany, flowing from S Lower Saxony north into the North Sea: c. 300 mi (483 km) …   English World dictionary

  • Fulda River — River, central Germany. Rising in the Rhön Mountains, it flows north to unite with the Werra River at Münden and form the Weser River. It is 135 mi (218 km) long. The river valley served as a trade route between northern and southern Germany… …   Universalium

  • Weser Uplands-Schaumburg-Hamelin Nature Park — Location of the Weser Uplands Nature Park The Weser Uplands Schaumburg Hamelin Nature Park (German: Naturpark Weserbergland Schaumburg Hameln) lies on the northern edge of the German Central Uplands where it transitions to the North German Plain …   Wikipedia

  • Weser tunnel — The Weser tunnel crosses the river Weser in northwestern Germany between the villages of Rodenkirchen and Dedesdorf, offering a connection between the cities of Nordenham and Bremerhaven on a regional level.It was built from 1998 to 2004 and… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”