Emscher

Emscher
The Emscher in northern Essen.
Country	Germany
Basin
Main source	Eastern Ruhr Area ±160 m (520 ft)
River mouth	Rhine 51°33′48″N 6°41′23″E / 51.56333°N 6.68972°E / 51.56333; 6.68972Coordinates: 51°33′48″N 6°41′23″E / 51.56333°N 6.68972°E / 51.56333; 6.68972
Physical characteristics
Length	84 km (52 mi)
Discharge	Average rate: 16 m3/s (570 cu ft/s)

The Emscher is a relatively small river and tributary of the Rhine, flowing through the Ruhr area in North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany. Its total length is 84 km with an average discharge near the mouth into the lower Rhine of 16 m³/s (cubic metres per second).

The Emscher has its source in Holzwickede, east of the city of Dortmund, and flows west through the Ruhr area. Towns along the Emscher include Dortmund, Castrop-Rauxel, Herne, Recklinghausen, Gelsenkirchen, Essen, Bottrop, Oberhausen and Dinslaken, where it flows into the Rhine.

In the geographical centre of a vast industrial area of 5 million inhabitants, the river is biologically dead, as it was used as an open waste water canal since the end of the 19th century. Massive mining subsidences from the many coal mines in the Emscher's course had made parallel subterranean sewer pipes unfeasible as they would break too easily.

Due to the continual down river movement of soil from the mining industry, it has been impossible for the natural course of the river to be maintained, and consequently its mouth into the Rhine has been relocated north twice. A huge modern sewage treatment plant at its mouth ensures that the water of the Emscher enters the Rhine in an acceptable quality.

Since the early 1990s, a huge renaturation project for the Emscher river has been progressing. To fully rehabilitate the river, a large subterranean pipe is - now that coal mining in the river's course has ceased save one mine in Bottrop - currently being constructed along the course of the river. The first section of the river subject to renaturation is in the city of Dortmund. The total project is managed by the public water board Emschergenossenschaft. The financial frame is 4.5 billion Euro and the aim is to finish the main work by the year 2020.^[1]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emscher.

• www.emschergenossenschaft.de

Tributaries of the Rhine
Left (western)	Vorderrhein Aua Russein Schmuèr Alpine Rhine Vorderrhein Tamina Rietaach Alter Rhein Freibach Lake Constance Goldach High Rhine Thur Töss Glatt Aare Sissle Ergolz Birs Birsig Upper Rhine Ill Moder Sauer Lauter Spiegelbach Queich Speyerbach Rehbach Isenach Eckbach Eisbach Pfrimm Selz Middle Rhine Nahe Moselle Nette Brohlbach Ahr Lower Rhine Erft
Right (eastern)	Vorderrhein Rein da Tuma Rein da Curnera Rein da Medel Rein da Sumvitg Glogn Rabiusa Hinterrhein Ragn da Ferrera Albula/Alvra Alpine Rhine Hinterrhein Plessur Landquart Mülbach Ill Frutz Lake Constance Dornbirner Ach Bregenzer Ach Leiblach Schussen Rotach Brunnisaach Lipbach Seefelder Aach Stockacher Aach Radolfzeller Aach High Rhine Biber Wutach Alb Murg Wehra Upper Rhine Wiese Elz Kinzig Rench Acher Murg Alb Pfinz Saalbach Kraichbach Leimbach Neckar Weschnitz Modau Main Middle Rhine Wisper Lahn Wied Lower Rhine Sieg Wupper Düssel Ruhr Emscher Lippe IJssel Oude IJssel/Issel Berkel Schipbeek