Today we are going to talk about the longest river that runs through Germany. Its about Rin RiverAlthough it is small in size compared to other world-famous rivers such as the Nile and the Amazon, it is part of one of the most important waterways in all of Western Europe. It is one of the rivers that is deeply embedded in German culture, as there are stories, myths, legends, and other songs that feature the Rhine River as a key element.
In this article we are going to tell you about all the characteristics, formation, geology, flora and fauna of the River Rhine.
Key features
It is a body of water that is located in European territory and passes mainly through Germany. Its birth takes place in the region of the canton of Grisons, located in the Swiss Alps. Its mouth ends in the North Sea and has a length of 1230 kilometersIts waters flow from north to northwest and are part of a watershed with an area of approximately 185.000 square kilometers. They typically have a fairly high flow rate, averaging around 2900 cubic meters per second.
It is fed by the waters of other smaller rivers that serve as tributaries: the Tamina, the Rein da Medel, the Neckar, the Moselle, the Ruhr, and the Lahn. The Toma River is considered the main tributary of the Rhine, but it is not initially called by this name. It is not known by this name until the area where it meets the Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein rivers. Once past these rivers, the path to follow leads through an alpine glacial valley known as the Rhine Valley.
As its course progresses, The terrain begins to be somewhat flatter and the waters pour into Lake Constance and then move to the west. When it reaches the north of Switzerland there is a kind of waterfall as it falls to a height of about 23 meters.
They aren't really large or impressive waterfalls, but they are very beautiful to see. Once you reach the waterfall, you continue your journey toward the sea. Near its mouth, the Meuse and Scheldt rivers join, forming a delta with a multitude of channels.
Formation of the river rhine
We must know that There is still no consensus that dictates the exact age of this river. There are some studies that fail to determine definitive data on the age of the river. It is known that the formation of this river is due to a natural consequence produced by the elevation of the lands and the formation of the mountain ranges. During the Eocene epoch, the orogeny eventually caused a rift that ran from north to south and caused several bodies of water existing at that time to flow downwards.
Once this orogeny led to the formation of areas that could have been bodies of water, a small stream began to form. This has been learned from observing the oldest Rhine river sediments to date. All these sediments date from Miocene.
The small stream took another thousand years to transform its course because the sea level was rising in the region of the Netherlands. As a result, the river Rhine changed its course during the Holocene epoch.
Flora and fauna of the river Rhine
Let's take a look at the most abundant flora and fauna in this river. It's important to note that it's capable of hosting several animal species and more than 50 plant species. Some of the most abundant fish found throughout the river are brown trout, brook lamprey, common barbel, river lamprey, golden carp, roach, common eel, and grass carp.
If only we count more than 50 species of fish are found of which 37 of them are native and the rest have been introduced by humans over time. Not only does it have fauna linked to water, but it also has other types of fauna that surround the entire ecosystem. We see numerous types of birds that live in your area. They spend the whole winter there to be able to rest from the migrations. For example, we see species of birds such as the mallard, the face goose, the European poodle, the tufted poodle, the common coot, the great crested grebe, the osprey and the great cormorant. There are also some swans that are part of the fauna of the birds that belong to this river.
Various species of amphibians and reptiles are also found throughout the Rhine river basin. They stand out among them the red frog, the common toad and the collared snake.
As for the flora, it consists of aquatic plants such as the rushes that swirl along the riverbanks. There are some perennial plants with flowers that tolerate moist soils, such as lilies. Other flora can also be found around the river, forming grasslands and areas with shorter grasses. In some areas where the plants can grow taller, small riparian forests can form.
Economic importance
It must be taken into account that this river is a navigation route in the interior of Europe and because of it it has great economic importance for the surrounding countries. It is possibly the most important in the west of the continent. Of the total length of the river, 880 kilometers are navigable and it joins the Danube through channels. Near the shores there are many roads and railways that also pass from one place to another.
The economic importance of this river is that industrial goods and people can be transported through its waters. Thanks to its strategic location, it has been involved throughout history in political conflicts.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the river Rhine and its characteristics.