Avers Rhine

Avers Rhine

The Avers Rhine in Val Ferrera valley, lithograph from 1827
Origin

Confluence of Bergalgabach and Jufer Rhine

46°24′3″N 9°32′56″E / 46.40083°N 9.54889°ECoordinates: 46°24′3″N 9°32′56″E / 46.40083°N 9.54889°E
Mouth

Confluence with Hinterrhein in Andeer

46°34′59″N 9°25′20″E / 46.58306°N 9.42222°E
Progression HinterrheinRhineNorth Sea
Basin countries Switzerland
Location Graubünden
Length 20 km (12 mi)
Source elevation 2,500 m (8,200 ft)
Mouth elevation 1,075 m (3,527 ft)
Avg. discharge 11.5 m3/s (410 cu ft/s) at mouth
Basin area 261 km2 (101 sq mi)
River system Rhine
Left tributaries Bergalgabach, Madrischer Rhein, Reno di Lei, Ual da Niemet
Right tributaries Jufer Rhind, Ava da Starlera, Ava da Mulegn

The Avers Rhine (German: Averserrhein, Romansh: Ragn da Ferrera) is a tributary of the Hinterrhein in the Swiss Canton of Graubünden.

Course

The source of the Jufer Rhine at Juf, the highest situated permanently inhabited settlement in Europe

It rises in Avers at the confluence of the Bergalgabach with the slightly smaller Jufer Rhine. The Jufer Rhine rises in, and is named after, Juf, the highest permanent settlement in Europe, near the border with Albula district. From this confluence, the Avers Rhine descends through a deep gorge, spanned by the 80-metre (260 ft) high Lezi Bridge. When it reaches the valley floor, it meets the slightly smaller Madrish Rhine.

After a few kilometers, it is joined from the left by the Reno di Lei, which flows almost entirely on Italian soil. The Lago di Lei reservoir is also on Italian soil, except for the dam which creates it, which was erected on Swiss territory.

The Avers Rhine continues its way through the Val Ferrera valley, which contains two populated places. The upper village is Innerferrera (Romansh: Calantgil), where the river is dammed, forming the Innerferrera reservoir since 1961. Below Ausserferrera (Romansh: Farera), the glacial valley is flanked by steep rocky slopes. The Avers Rhine then flows into the Hinterrhein in the Rofla Gorge above Andeer.

The road in the Ferrera valley is a cul de sac.

Tributaries

Left tributaries[1]

Right tributaries[1]

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Landeskarte der Schweiz 1:25000