High Rhine
Encyclopedia
The High Rhine is the name used in Germany
for the part of the Rhine River that flows westbound from Lake Constance
to Basel
.
The High Rhine begins at the outflow of the Rhine from the Untersee
in Stein am Rhein
and turns into the Upper Rhine
in Basel
. In contrast to the Alpine Rhine and Upper Rhine, the High Rhine flows mostly to the west.
The section is marked by Rhine-kilometers 0 to 165, measurements beginning at the outflow of the Obersee at the Old Rhine Bridge
in Constance
. It is the first of four sections (High Rhine, Upper Rhine
, Middle Rhine
, Lower Rhine
) of the Rhine between Lake Constance and the North Sea. In Switzerland
, similar names refer to different parts. In the western part, the Rhine marks the border between German and Switzerland, while in the eastern part, Switzerland owns also areas north of the Rhine, surrounding the German exclave
of Büsingen.
The term High Rhine was introduced by scientists in the 19th Century.
Above all geologists tried to differentiate the High Rhine linguistically from the Upper Rhine. Until the 19th Century, it was also known as the "Badisch-Swiss Rhine".
The Rhine Falls
, which are the largest plain waterfalls of Europe
, are located in the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall
and Laufen-Uhwiesen
, near the town of Schaffhausen
. They are 150 m (450 ft) wide and 23 m (75 ft) high. In the winter months, the average water flow is 250 m³/s, while in the summer, the average water flow is 600 m³/s.
The rapids in the High Rhine should be viewed in the context of the relatively high slope (from 395 m auf 252 m above sea level
in just 165 km) and the change of the river's course during the Würm ice age
. In Neuhausen am Rheinfall
, the river falls into a previously buried stream channel, forming the
Rhine Falls
at Schaffhausen
. The next rapids are the Kadelburg Rapids at Koblenz. Near Laufenburg, the post-glacial Rhine failed to find the old silted-up channel and hit a spur of Black Forest crystal. The river cut itself a gorge, containing the Laufenburg Rapids. The Laufenburg and Schwörstadt
Rapids have been artificially eliminated by blowing up the rocks and raising the water level with dams.
The character of the river has been changed over long distances by the construction of hydropower station. The Laufenburg and Schwörstadt Rapids were removed by blowing up rocks, originally to improve navigation, and later flooded due to the hydropower dams.
Between Diessenhofen
and Stein am Rhein
, the High Rhine has yet to be dammed. The first power plant of the Rhine river is currently at Schaffhausen
; it has a damming effect to slightly above Diessenhofen. The next power plant (the Kraftwerk Reckingen) is located at Rekingen
and Küssaberg
. After Rekingen, the High Rhine flows freely through the Koblenz Rapids to the confluence with the Aar. The next hydropower plant (the Kraftwerk Albbruck-Dogern), is at Leibstadt
and Dogern
. There are seven more power plant between here and Basel. Altogether, the High Rhine has elven dams and twelve hydropower plants (there are two plants at the Augst/Wyhlen Dam.
, Schaffhausen
, Neuhausen am Rheinfall
, Waldshut
, Laufenburg, Bad Säckingen
Rheinfelden and Basel
.
The most important organizations for cross-border cooperation on the High Rhine are High Rhine Commission and High Rhine Agency.
, Thur, Töss, Glatt
, Wutach
, Aar, Alb
, Murg, Sissle
, Wehra
, Ergolz
and Birs
.
It is noteworthy that the Aar with 590 m³/s has a larger discharge than the Rhine with 439 m³/s. From hydrological point of view, therefore, the Rhine is a tributary of the River Aar, not vice versa. The Rhine is, however, generally condidered the main stream, because it is slightly longer than the Aar.
, Tabel Jura
, Albgau, Aargau
, Hotzenwald, Klettgau
, Zurzibiet, Zürichgau and Thurgau
.
Authorities on the Baden-Württemberg side of the river are organized in a framework called Regionalverband Hochrhein-Bodensee ("Regional cooperation High Rhine — Lake Constance").
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for the part of the Rhine River that flows westbound from Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
to Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
.
The High Rhine begins at the outflow of the Rhine from the Untersee
Untersee (Lake Constance)
The Untersee is the smaller of the two lakes that together form Lake Constance and forms part of the boundary between Switzerland and Germany.- Geography :...
in Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The town has a well-preserved medieval centre, retaining the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserved, though the former city wall now consists of houses...
and turns into the Upper Rhine
Upper Rhine
The Upper Rhine is the section of the Rhine in the Upper Rhine Plain between Basel, Switzerland and Bingen, Germany. The river is marked by Rhine-kilometers 170 to 529 ....
in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. In contrast to the Alpine Rhine and Upper Rhine, the High Rhine flows mostly to the west.
The section is marked by Rhine-kilometers 0 to 165, measurements beginning at the outflow of the Obersee at the Old Rhine Bridge
Old Rhine Bridge (Constance)
The Old Rhine Bridge at Constance spans in the Seerhein. It is a combined road and railway bridge. In addition to one track of the Upper Rhine Railway at kilometer 413.5, it carries the , the road that connects the borough of Petershausen with the city center. The road bridge carries two lanes...
in Constance
Constance
Constance is a female given name that derives from Latin and means "constant." Variations of the name include Connie, Constancia, Constanze, Constanza, Stanzy, and Konstanze.Constance may refer to:-People:*Constance Bennett , American actress...
. It is the first of four sections (High Rhine, Upper Rhine
Upper Rhine
The Upper Rhine is the section of the Rhine in the Upper Rhine Plain between Basel, Switzerland and Bingen, Germany. The river is marked by Rhine-kilometers 170 to 529 ....
, Middle Rhine
Middle Rhine
Between Bingen and Bonn, Germany, the Rhine River flows as the Middle Rhine through the Rhine Gorge, a formation created by erosion, which happened at about the same rate as an uplift in the region, leaving the river at about its original level, and the surrounding lands raised...
, Lower Rhine
Lower Rhine
The Lower Rhine flows from Bonn, Germany, to the North Sea at Hoek van Holland, Netherlands.Almost immediately after entering the Netherlands, the Rhine splits into many branches. The main branch is called the Waal which flows from Nijmegen to meet the river Meuse; after which it is called Merwede...
) of the Rhine between Lake Constance and the North Sea. 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....
, similar names refer to different parts. In the western part, the Rhine marks the border between German and Switzerland, while in the eastern part, Switzerland owns also areas north of the Rhine, surrounding the German exclave
Enclave and exclave
In political geography, an enclave is a territory whose geographical boundaries lie entirely within the boundaries of another territory.An exclave, on the other hand, is a territory legally or politically attached to another territory with which it is not physically contiguous.These are two...
of Büsingen.
Above all geologists tried to differentiate the High Rhine linguistically from the Upper Rhine. Until the 19th Century, it was also known as the "Badisch-Swiss Rhine".
Waterfalls and rapids
Rhine Falls
The Rhine Falls is the largest plain waterfall in Europe.The falls are located on the Upper Rhine between the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Laufen-Uhwiesen, near the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland, between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zürich. They are 150 m ...
, which are the largest plain waterfalls of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, are located in the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall
Neuhausen am Rheinfall
Neuhausen am Rheinfall is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The little town is well known for the Rhine Falls, a tourist attraction and mainland Europe's largest waterfall....
and Laufen-Uhwiesen
Laufen-Uhwiesen
Laufen-Uhwiesen is a municipality in the district of Andelfingen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.-History:Laufen-Uhwiesen is first mentioned in 858 as ad Laufin. In 1290 it was mentioned as ze Uwisan.-Geography:...
, near the town of Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
. They are 150 m (450 ft) wide and 23 m (75 ft) high. In the winter months, the average water flow is 250 m³/s, while in the summer, the average water flow is 600 m³/s.
The rapids in the High Rhine should be viewed in the context of the relatively high slope (from 395 m auf 252 m above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
in just 165 km) and the change of the river's course during the Würm ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. In Neuhausen am Rheinfall
Neuhausen am Rheinfall
Neuhausen am Rheinfall is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The little town is well known for the Rhine Falls, a tourist attraction and mainland Europe's largest waterfall....
, the river falls into a previously buried stream channel, forming the
Rhine Falls
Rhine Falls
The Rhine Falls is the largest plain waterfall in Europe.The falls are located on the Upper Rhine between the municipalities of Neuhausen am Rheinfall and Laufen-Uhwiesen, near the town of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland, between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zürich. They are 150 m ...
at Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
. The next rapids are the Kadelburg Rapids at Koblenz. Near Laufenburg, the post-glacial Rhine failed to find the old silted-up channel and hit a spur of Black Forest crystal. The river cut itself a gorge, containing the Laufenburg Rapids. The Laufenburg and Schwörstadt
Schwörstadt
Schwörstadt is a town in the district of Lörrach in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
Rapids have been artificially eliminated by blowing up the rocks and raising the water level with dams.
Interventions
Between Diessenhofen
Diessenhofen
Diessenhofen is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-History:Diessenhofen is first mentioned in 757 as Deozincova. In 2000, the village of Willisdorf was incorporated into the municipality...
and Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The town has a well-preserved medieval centre, retaining the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserved, though the former city wall now consists of houses...
, the High Rhine has yet to be dammed. The first power plant of the Rhine river is currently at Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
; it has a damming effect to slightly above Diessenhofen. The next power plant (the Kraftwerk Reckingen) is located at Rekingen
Rekingen
Rekingen is a municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:In 1956 an excavation discovered the remains of a Roman era estate . Another excavation discovered Alamanni graves to the north of the train station...
and Küssaberg
Küssaberg
Küssaberg is a town in the district of Waldshut in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
. After Rekingen, the High Rhine flows freely through the Koblenz Rapids to the confluence with the Aar. The next hydropower plant (the Kraftwerk Albbruck-Dogern), is at Leibstadt
Leibstadt
Leibstadt is a municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Leibstadt is first mentioned about 1240 as Leibesteit. In the 13th and 14th Centuries it was ruled by the Habsburgs. In 1323 two mills are mentioned in Leibstadt...
and Dogern
Dogern
Dogern is a village in the district of Waldshut in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
. There are seven more power plant between here and Basel. Altogether, the High Rhine has elven dams and twelve hydropower plants (there are two plants at the Augst/Wyhlen Dam.
Towns
Some parts of the High Rhine valley are fairly wide; others are more gorge-like. The population density varies accordingly. Well known towns on the High Rhine are Stein am RheinStein am Rhein
Stein am Rhein is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The town has a well-preserved medieval centre, retaining the ancient street plan. The site of the city wall, and the city gates are preserved, though the former city wall now consists of houses...
, Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
, Neuhausen am Rheinfall
Neuhausen am Rheinfall
Neuhausen am Rheinfall is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.The little town is well known for the Rhine Falls, a tourist attraction and mainland Europe's largest waterfall....
, Waldshut
Waldshut
Waldshut is a district in the south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Neighbouring districts are Lörrach, Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald and Schwarzwald-Baar; followed in the south by the Swiss cantons of Schaffhausen, Zürich and Aargau.-History:The district dates to the Oberamt Waldshut, which was...
, Laufenburg, Bad Säckingen
Bad Säckingen
Bad Säckingen is a rural town in the administrative district of Waldshut in the state of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is famous as the "Trumpeteer's City" because of the book "The Trumpeteer of Säckingen", a famous 19th century novel by German author Joseph Victor von Scheffel.- Geography :Bad...
Rheinfelden and Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
.
The most important organizations for cross-border cooperation on the High Rhine are High Rhine Commission and High Rhine Agency.
Tributaries
Larger tributaries of the High Rhine are BiberBiber (Rhine)
The Biber is a small river on the border between Germany and Switzerland. The source is located at Watterdingen in the municipality Tengen, district of Constance in Baden-Wuerttemberg. After about 24 km the Biber river flows into the Rhine at the Biber Mill west of Hemishofen in the Canton of...
, Thur, Töss, Glatt
Glatt (Rhine)
Glatt is the name of a lesser affluent to the High Rhine in the Unterland of the canton of Zurich, Switzerland. It is long and flows out from the Greifensee thru the Glatt Valley, discharging into the Rhine by Glattfelden...
, Wutach
Wutach
Wutach can refer to*The Wutach, a river in Baden-Württemberg*The town of Wutach, one of the places the river flows through...
, Aar, Alb
Alb (Southern Black Forest)
The Alb is a river in the Black Forest. It arises from two headwaters, the Menzenschwander Alb and Bernauer Alb and flows in a southerly direction...
, Murg, Sissle
Sissle
The Sissle is a 16-kilometer long river in the Swiss canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is a tributary of the Rhine and drains the eastern part of the Fricktal...
, Wehra
Wehra
Wehra is a river of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of Baden-Württemberg...
, Ergolz
Ergolz
left|thumb|Source of the Ergolz in [[Oltingen]]The Ergolz is the main river in the canton of Basel-Landschaft. It rises on Mount Geisflue in the Faltenjura mountains in the upper region of Basel-Landschaft, on the border with Aargau and Solothurn, and joins the Rhine at Augst...
and Birs
Birs
The Birs is a 73-km long river in Switzerland that flows through the Jura region and ends as a tributary to the Rhine between Basel and Birsfelden.- Picture gallery :...
.
It is noteworthy that the Aar with 590 m³/s has a larger discharge than the Rhine with 439 m³/s. From hydrological point of view, therefore, the Rhine is a tributary of the River Aar, not vice versa. The Rhine is, however, generally condidered the main stream, because it is slightly longer than the Aar.
Areas
Numerous areas alng the High Rhine are currently, or were historically considered important. From west to east, they are Dinkelberg, Augstgau, FricktalFricktal
The Fricktal region is the northwest finger extending from the Swiss canton of Aargau. It is situated in Northwestern Switzerland east of Basel, between the High Rhine forming the border with Germany in the north and the Jura Mountains in the south. The Fricktal contains the districts of...
, Tabel Jura
Tabel Jura
The Tabel Jura are part of the Jura range of mountains in North West Switzerland....
, Albgau, Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
, Hotzenwald, Klettgau
Klettgau
Klettgau is a group of towns in the district of Waldshut in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Landgraviat of Klettgau to 1812.There is a border crossing into Switzerland at Erzingen to Trasadingen in Schaffhausen canton....
, Zurzibiet, Zürichgau and Thurgau
Thurgau
Thurgau is a northeast canton of Switzerland. The population, , is . In 2007, there were a total of 47,390 who were resident foreigners. The capital is Frauenfeld.-History:...
.
Authorities on the Baden-Württemberg side of the river are organized in a framework called Regionalverband Hochrhein-Bodensee ("Regional cooperation High Rhine — Lake Constance").
External links
- Rhine Falls homepage
- Photographs of the Rhine Falls
- Spanish guide
- High Rhine:Pictures
- High Rhine Commission and High Rhine Agency