Zenne

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Zenne
Basin countries Belgium
Length 103 km
The 1837 course of the Senne superimposed on Brussels' modern downtown.
The 1837 course of the Senne superimposed on Brussels' modern downtown.

The Zenne (Dutch) or Senne (French) is a small river that flows through Brussels, left tributary of the Dijle. Its source is in the municipality of Soignies. It is an indirect tributary of the Scheldt, through the Dijle and the Rupel. The Woluwe is one of the tributaries of the Zenne.

In total the Zenne is 103 km long.

In the centre of Brussels, the Zenne was completely covered up and major boulevards were built over top in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is still visible in the outskirts of Brussels and outside the city, though within the city it now runs mostly underneath the small ring. The Zenne was notorious for being one of Belgium's worst polluted rivers, since all effluents from the Brussels Capital Region were versed in it without treatment. This problem was solved in March 2007 with the completion of new sewage treatment plants.

The Golden Iris became used as the emblem of the Brussels Capital Region due to its habitat in the marshy plains around the river. The unique seasonal wild yeasts of the Zenne river valley are used in the production of the regional lambic style of beer.

The Senne at Rebecq.
The Senne at Rebecq.