Jona (river)

Jona
Jona river at its mouth in Jona-Busskirch, Obersee in the background (October 2009)
Origin	Bachtel mountain
Mouth	Lake Zurich at Busskirch (Rapperswil-Jona)
Basin countries	Switzerland
Length	~ 20 km
Source elevation	950 m
Mouth elevation	406 m

The Jona is a river in the Swiss cantons of Zurich and St. Gallen.

Geography

The Jona rises on the eastern slope of Bachtel hill near Gibswil and Fischenthal in the Zürcher Oberland. Passing an impressive waterfall, the river flows near the municipality of Wald through a little valley eastward and changes its direction to the south by a ravine, which a viaduct of the Tösstalbahn (S26) is crossing. Jona river turns to the west, dividing the municipalities Dürnten and Rüti, passing the village of Tann and Rüti in the so-called Tannertobel. Once again, it changes its direction, flowing to the south (and slightly meandering) through Rüti and the so-called Joner Wald (forest of Rapperswil-Jona), followed by the S-Bahn Zürich lines S5 and S15. The river underneaths here Oberland Autobahn (A53 highway), now reaching the canton of St. Gallen and Rapperswil-Jona, flowing nearly in straight direction through the village of Jona (SG). Finally, it forms a small river delta near Busskirch^[1] and flows at Stampf lido in the upper Lake Zurich (Obersee).

History and some facts

The river's name was first mentioned in 834 AD, the former municipality Jona was named much later. It is assumed that the name originates as either Celtic Jauna (the cold one) – Jona river is still largely determined by forest area – or, as Indo-Eurepean yamam, meaning stream. Latest interpretations say that the Indo-European word jeu roughly means to move, followed by the Old High German name Jouna .^[2]

In the Middle Ages, its hydropower was used for a larger number of watermills along the small river. As a renewable source, in the 19th century, the river was important for industrialization (textile industry) of the communities Wald, Rüti, and Rapperswil-Jona.

Jona river measures 20 km in all, rising at 950 m.ü.M. (above sea level) and flowing in Lake Zurich at 406 m.ü.M. The river belongs to the Limmat→Aar→Rhine system. Its drainage basin measures 65 km².

Gallery

• 

  Rapperswil, Seedamm bridge, upper Lake Zürich (Obersee) and Jona river (Jonen) on the so-called Murerplan (1566)

• 

  Tannertobel between Tann and Rüti

• 

  Joweid (= Jona river meadow) in Rüti (ZH), Bachtel mountain in the background

• 

  Jona river at Holzwies in Jona (SG)

• 

  The river within the village of Jona

• 

  River delta called Stampf, Obersee in the background

Notes

External links

Media related to Jona river at Wikimedia Commons

• Dorfverein Wagen (German)

v t e Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) Switzerland Canton of Zürich Horgen Meilen Zürich Canton of St. Gallen See-Gaster Canton of Schwyz Höfe March Settlements Altendorf Au Bäch Bollingen Erlenbach Feldbach Feldmeilen Freienbach Herrliberg Horgen Hurden Jona Kehlhof Kempraten Kilchberg Küsnacht Lachen Männedorf Meilen Nuolen Oberrieden Pfäffikon Rapperswil Richterswil Rüschlikon Schmerikon Stäfa Thalwil Uerikon Uetikon am See Wädenswil Zollikon Zürich Islands Au peninsula Lützelau Ufenau Rivers Jona Limmat Linth Valleys Limmattal Sihltal Mountains Adlisberg Etzel Pfannenstiel Uetliberg Zimmerberg Zürichberg Landmarks Albis Felsenegg Seedamm Transportation Horgen–Meilen ferry Lake Zurich left-bank railway Lake Zurich right-bank railway Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG)

Coordinates: 47°17′N 8°55′E / 47.283°N 8.917°E / 47.283; 8.917