Ruhr (river)

Ruhr
The Ruhr in Essen-Kettwig.
Basin
Main source	Sauerland
Source elevation	674 m
River mouth	Rhine 51°27′3″N 6°43′22″E / 51.45083°N 6.72278°E / 51.45083; 6.72278Coordinates: 51°27′3″N 6°43′22″E / 51.45083°N 6.72278°E / 51.45083; 6.72278
Size	4,485 km²
Country	Germany
Physiognomy
Length	217 km

The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia), a right tributary (east-side) of the Rhine.

Description and history

The Ruhr valley near Bochum during a flood

The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet (670 m). It flows into the lower Rhine river at an elevation of only 56 feet (17 m) in the municipal area of Duisburg. Its total length is 218 km (135 mi), its average discharge is 79 m³/s (cubic metres per second) at Mülheim near its mouth. Thus, its discharge is, for example, comparable to that of the Ems river in Northern Germany or the Thames river in the United Kingdom.

The Ruhr first passes the towns of Meschede, Arnsberg, Wickede, Fröndenberg, Holzwickede, Iserlohn and Schwerte. Then the river marks the southern limit of the Ruhr area, passing Hagen, Dortmund, Herdecke, Wetter, Witten, Bochum, Hattingen, Essen, Mülheim and Duisburg.

The Ruhr Area was Germany's primary industrial area during the early- to mid-20th century. Most factories were located there. The Occupation of the Ruhr from 1923-24 by French forces, due to the Weimar Republic's failure to contionue paying reparations from World War I provoked passive resistance, which saw production in the factories grind to a halt. As a result, the German hyperinflation crisis grew even worse.

During World War II, two of the dams on the Ruhr, the Möhne Dam and the Sorpe Dam were targets for Operation Chastise, in which special "bouncing bombs" were developed to take out the dams and flood the valley, with the hope of seriously affecting the German industries there. The story was told in a 1951 book and the popular 1955 film made from it, The Dam Busters.

The drainage basin of the Ruhr

Lakes

There are five Ruhr reservoirs on the river, often used for leisure activities.

• Hengsteysee between Dortmund and Hagen, surface area: 1.36 km² height of the weir 4.5m
• Harkortsee between Herdecke and Wetter; surface area: 1.37 km², height of the weir 7.8m
• Kemnader See between Witten and Bochum; surface area: 1.25 km², height of the weir 2m
• Baldeneysee in Essen-Werden; surface area: 2.64 km², height of the weir 8.5m
• Kettwiger See in Essen-Kettwig; surface area: 0.55 km², height of the weir 6m

See also

• Ruhr (area)
• Occupation of the Ruhr (1923–1924)
• Nearby rivers: Rhine, Lenne, Lippe River, Emscher.

References

Notes

Sources

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Ruhr". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links

• Media related to Ruhr at Wikimedia Commons

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