The Emme is a river in Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

. It rises in the Alps

Alps

The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....

 between the peaks of Hohgant

Hohgant

Hohgant is a mountain in the Bernese Alps, located in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland.Several caves developing in the Urgonian limestone formation have their entrances on the Hohgant mountain. The F1 cave is connected to the Siebenhengste cave network.-External links:*...

 and Augstmatthorn

Augstmatthorn

Augstmatthorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps. The mountain lies north of the Lake Brienz.-External links:*...

 in the canton of Bern. The Emme is 80 kilometers long and flows through the Emmental

Emmental

For the cheese made in the region, see Emmental .The Emmental is a region in west central Switzerland, forming part of the canton of Bern. It is a hilly landscape comprising the basins of the Emme and Ilfis rivers. The region is mostly devoted to farming, particularly dairy farming...

 and into the Aar below Solothurn

Solothurn

The city of Solothurn is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. The city also comprises the only municipality of the district of the same name.-Pre-roman settlement:...

. The drainage area is 983 km². The average discharge at the mouth is approximately 20 cubic meters per second. The maximum discharge can be up to 500 cubic meters per second.

The Emme is known for its sudden variations in water discharge. The narration Die Wassernot im Emmental (The flood in the Emmental) by Jeremias Gotthelf

Jeremias Gotthelf

Albert Bitzius , Swiss novelist, best known by his pen name of Jeremias Gotthelf, was born at Murten, where his father was pastor.In 1804 the home was moved to Utzenstorf, a village in the Bernese Emmental...

 describes very impressively the largest well-known flood, which occurred August 13, 1837. This and other floods led to the building of numerous canals and dams in the 19th century.

The tributaries of the Emme are the Ilfis and the Limpach.

See also

• Emmental
  Emmental
  For the cheese made in the region, see Emmental .The Emmental is a region in west central Switzerland, forming part of the canton of Bern. It is a hilly landscape comprising the basins of the Emme and Ilfis rivers. The region is mostly devoted to farming, particularly dairy farming...
  
  
• Kleine Emme
  Kleine Emme
  The Kleine Emme is a river of the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland, a left tributary of the Reuss River extending for 58 km, draining a basin of 477 km²...