- Oder River
Geobox|River
name = Oder
native_name = Odra
other_name =
other_name1 =
image_size =
image_caption = Oder between Kienitz and Zollbrücke, Germany
country = Czech Republic
country1 = Poland
country2 = Germany
state =
state1 =
region =
region1 =
district =
district1 =
city =
city1 =
length = 854
watershed = 118861
discharge_location = mouth
discharge_average = 574
discharge_max =
discharge_min =
discharge1_location =
discharge1_average =
source_name =
source_location = Oderské vrchy,Silesia
source_district =
source_region =
source_state =
source_country = Czech Republic
source_lat_d =
source_lat_m =
source_lat_s =
source_lat_NS =
source_long_d =
source_long_m =
source_long_s =
source_long_EW =
source_elevation =
source_length =
mouth_name = Szczecin Lagoon
mouth_location = Baltic Sea
mouth_district =
mouth_region =
mouth_state =
mouth_country = Poland
mouth_lat_d = 53
mouth_lat_m = 40
mouth_lat_s = 19
mouth_lat_NS = N
mouth_long_d = 14
mouth_long_m = 31
mouth_long_s = 25
mouth_long_EW = E
mouth_elevation =
tributary_left =
tributary_left1 =
tributary_right =
tributary_right1 =
free_name =
free_value =
map_size =
map_caption =The Oder (known in Czech and Polish as "Odra") is a
river in CentralEurope . It begins in theCzech Republic and flows through westernPoland , later forming the northern 187 km of the border between Poland andGermany , part of theOder-Neisse line . The river ultimately flows into theSzczecin Lagoon north ofSzczecin and then into three branches (Dziwna ,Świna andPeene ) that empty into theBaltic Sea .Names
The Oder is known by several names in different languages: (English and _de. Oder; Czech, Slovak and _pl. Odra; Hungarian: "Odera";
Classical Latin : "Viadrus", "Viadua";Medieval Latin : "Od(d)era").Geography
The Oder is 854 km long: 112 in the Czech Republic, 742 in Poland (including 187 on the border between Germany and Poland) and is the second longest river in Poland (after the
Vistula ). It drains 118,861 km² of watershed, 106,056 of which are in Poland (89%), 7,217 in the Czech Republic (6%), and 5,587 in Germany (5%). Channels connect it to theHavel ,Spree ,Vistula system andKłodnica . It flows through Silesian, Opole, Lower Silesian, Lubusz, and West Pomeranian voivodeships of Poland and the states ofBrandenburg andMecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany.The main branch empties into the
Szczecin Lagoon near Police. The Szczecin Lagoon is bordered on the north by islands ofUsedom (west) andWolin (east). Between these two islands, there is only a narrow channel (Świna) going to theBay of Pomerania , which forms a part of the Baltic Sea.The largest city on the Oder River is
Wrocław .Navigation
The Oder is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as to the town of
Koźle , where the river connects to the Gliwicki Canal. The upstream part of the river is canalized and permits larger barges (up to CEMT Class IV) to navigate between the industrial sites around theWrocław area.Further downstream the river is free flowing, passing the towns of
Eisenhüttenstadt (where a canal connects the river to theSpree inBerlin ) andFrankfurt (Oder) . Downstream of Frankfurt theWarta River forms a navigable connection withPoznań andBydgoszcz for smaller vessels. AtHohensaaten the Havel-Oder-Wasserstrasse connects with the Berlin waterways again.Near its mouth the Oder reaches the city of
Szczecin , a major maritime port. The river finally reaches the Baltic Sea through theSzczecin Lagoon and the river mouth atŚwinoujście . (Source: [http://www.noorderSoft.com/indexen.html NoorderSoft Waterways Database] )History
The river in
Germania Magna was known to the Romans as the "Viadrus" or "Viadua" inClassical Latin , as it was a branch of theAmber Road from the Baltic Sea to theRoman Empire (see "via)". In German it was and is called the "Oder", written in older records as "Odera" or "Oddera" inMedieval Latin documents and was mentioned in theDagome iudex , which described territory of Duke Mieszko I ca. 990 andOda von Haldensleben .The Oder was an important trade route and towns in Germania were documented along with many tribes living between the rivers
Albis , Viadrus andVistula . Centuries later theBavarian Geographer (ca. 845) specifies the following peoples:Silesians , Dadoshanie, Opolanians, Lupiglaa, and Golenshitse inSilesia andWolin ians and Pyrzycans inWestern Pomerania . A document of the Bishopric ofPrague (1086) mentions Zlasane, Trebovyane, Poborane, and Dedositze in Silesia.In the 13th century, the first
dam s were built to protect agricultural lands.After
World War II , the Oder and theLusatian Neisse formed theOder-Neisse line , which was designated as the new border between Germany and Poland. The German populations east of these two rivers were expelled westwards.Cities
Main section::
Ostrava -Bohumín -Racibórz -Kędzierzyn-Koźle -Krapkowice -Opole -Brzeg -Oława -Jelcz-Laskowice -Wrocław -Brzeg Dolny -Ścinawa -Szlichtyngowa -Głogów -Bytom Odrzański -Nowa Sól -Krosno Odrzańskie -Eisenhüttenstadt -Frankfurt (Oder) -Słubice - Kostrzyn -Cedynia -Schwedt -Vierraden -Gartz -Gryfino -Szczecin - PoliceDziwna branch (between
Wolin Island and mainland Poland)::Wolin -Kamień Pomorski -Dziwnów Świna branch (between Wolin and the
Usedom islands)::Świnoujście Szczecin Lagoon::
Nowe Warpno -Ueckermünde Peene branch (between Usedom Island and the German mainland)::
Usedom -Lassan -Wolgast Right tributaries
: Ostravice - Olza -
Ruda -Bierawka -Kłodnica -Czarnka - Mała Panew - Stobrawa -Widawa -Jezierzyca -Barycz -Krzycki Rów -Obrzyca - Jabłonna -Pliszka - Ołobok -Gryzynka -Warta with the Noteć - Myśla -Kurzyca -Stubia -Rurzyca -Tywa - Płonia - Ina -Gowienica Left tributaries
: Opava - Psina - Cisek - Olszówka - Stradunia - Osobłoga - Prószkowski Potok - Nysa Kłodzka - Oława -
Ślęza - Bystrzyca - Średzka Woda - Cicha Woda - Kaczawa - Ślepca -Zimnica - Dębniak - Biała Woda - Czarna Struga - Śląska Ochla - Zimny Potok - Bóbr - Olcha - Racza -Lusatian Neisse -Gunica See also
*
List of rivers of Germany
*List of rivers of Poland
*Lower Odra Valley National Park
*Oder-Neisse line
*Operation Wisla Ukraine, Polish territory 1947
*Wisla Longest Polish riverExternal links
* [http://www.odra.org/ multi-lingual information site on the Oder river]
* [http://www.wrotaodry.eu Odra River electronic shipping guide]
* [http://www.ppl.nl/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=82 Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law] Peace Palace Library
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.