Hydrology of Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Hydrology
is the science which studies the water cycle
as a whole, hence the water exchanges between soil and atmosphere (precipitation
and evaporation
) but also between the soil and sub ground (groundwater).
Switzerland
has a varied and complex hydrological system. The climate
gives precipitation under the form of snow and rain and is also responsible for the evaporation of water into the atmosphere. The altitude and climate allow the formation and maintenance of many glaciers that feed rivers from five major European river catchments, through which water leaves the country and joins the sea.
Switzerland is sometimes called the "water tower of Europe".
flows through a network of nearly 65,000 km of river
s, shared between the basins of five European rivers: the Rhine, the Rhone
, the Po, the Danube
and the Adige
. Thus, the hydrological network of Switzerland brings feeds the North Sea
, the Mediterranean Sea
, the Adriatic Sea
and the Black Sea
. Among these five rivers, two have their source in Switzerland, the Rhine and the Rhone. The other three rivers have tributaries that originate in Switzerland.
All major lake
s of Switzerland are located in the Rhine, Rhone and Po basins. Lakes in the Danube and Adige basins are less than 5 km².
refers to water located beneath the ground surface, as opposed to surface water that forms lakes and rivers. This is called hydrogeology
. The nature and location of the groundwater is defined by the geological nature of the soils. In the mid-twentieth century, knowledge of groundwater in Switzerland suffered from significant gaps. They were partially filled in the 1980s and 1990s, with a national research program.
The geological structure of Switzerland was formed by collision of two tectonic plates, the Eurasian plate
to the north and the Adriatic plate to the south. Geologically, the subsoil is very complex and varied with the Alps in the south, the Jura in the northwest and the plateau between them. Large quantities of water are present in the basement of Switzerland, and form a vast network linked to the geological structures. The underground lake of Saint-Léonard
, located in Valais, with its 300 m long and 25 m wide is a notable example.
Each year, one hectare of the Swiss plateau filter an average of four million liters of clean groundwater. According to the Federal Office of Environment, the Swiss basement contains about fifty billion m3 of water. Groundwater is by far the main source of drinking water in Switzerland, covering 80% of requirements. Considering other uses (drinking water and industrial water), groundwater covers 58% of requirements.
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
is the science which studies the water cycle
Water cycle
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or H2O cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth. Water can change states among liquid, vapor, and solid at various places in the water cycle...
as a whole, hence the water exchanges between soil and atmosphere (precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
and evaporation
Evaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
) but also between the soil and sub ground (groundwater).
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....
has a varied and complex hydrological system. The climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
gives precipitation under the form of snow and rain and is also responsible for the evaporation of water into the atmosphere. The altitude and climate allow the formation and maintenance of many glaciers that feed rivers from five major European river catchments, through which water leaves the country and joins the sea.
Switzerland is sometimes called the "water tower of Europe".
Surface water
Surface waterSurface water
Surface water is water collecting on the ground or in a stream, river, lake, wetland, or ocean; it is related to water collecting as groundwater or atmospheric water....
flows through a network of nearly 65,000 km of river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s, shared between the basins of five European rivers: the Rhine, the Rhone
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
, the Po, the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and the Adige
Adige
The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine province of South Tyrol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the River Po with ....
. Thus, the hydrological network of Switzerland brings feeds the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
and the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. Among these five rivers, two have their source in Switzerland, the Rhine and the Rhone. The other three rivers have tributaries that originate in Switzerland.
All major lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s of Switzerland are located in the Rhine, Rhone and Po basins. Lakes in the Danube and Adige basins are less than 5 km².
| Basin Drainage basin A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean... | Percent of Swiss territory | Major affluents in Switzerland | Largest lakes | Empties in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhine | 68 % | Aar, Reuss, Thur | 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... , Neuchâtel Lake Neuchâtel Lake Neuchâtel is a lake in Romandy, Switzerland . The lake lies mainly in the canton of Neuchâtel, but is also shared by the cantons of Vaud, of Fribourg, and of Bern.... , Lucerne Lake Lucerne Lake Lucerne is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country.The lake has a complicated shape, with bends and arms reaching from the city of Lucerne into the mountains. It has a total area of 114 km² , an elevation of 434 m , and a maximum depth of 214 m . Its volume is 11.8... , Zurich Lake Zurich Lake Zurich is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zurich. It is also known as Lake Zürich and Lake of Zürich. It lies approximately at co-ordinates .... |
North Sea North Sea In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively... (in the Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... ) |
| Rhone Rhône Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland... |
18 % | Doubs | Lake Geneva Lake Geneva Lake Geneva or Lake Léman is a lake in Switzerland and France. It is one of the largest lakes in Western Europe. 59.53 % of it comes under the jurisdiction of Switzerland , and 40.47 % under France... |
Mediterranean Sea Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant... (in France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... ) |
| Po | 9.3 % | Ticino | Lake Maggiore Lake Maggiore Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest of Italy and largest of southern Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.The climate is mild... , Lugano Lake Lugano Lake Lugano is a glacial lake in the south-east of Switzerland, at the border between Switzerland and Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore... |
Adriatic Sea Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges... (in Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... ) |
| Danube Danube The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway.... |
4.4 % | Inn | Lake Sils Lake Sils Lake Sils is a lake in the Upper Engadine valley, Grisons, Switzerland. It takes its name from the village of Sils im Engadin.The wooded Chasté peninsula extends into the lake at its north-eastern end... , Silvaplana Lake Silvaplana Lake Silvaplana is a lake in the Upper-Engadine valley of Grisons, Switzerland. It takes its name from the village of Silvaplana. The lake is also connected to the nearby Lej da Champfèr.... |
Black Sea Black Sea The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean... (in Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... and Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... ) |
| Adige Adige The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine province of South Tyrol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the River Po with .... |
0.3 % | Rom | Lai da Rims Lai da Rims Lai da Rims is a lake in Val Müstair, Grisons, Switzerland. The surface area of 0.17 km² has an elevation of 2396 m. It is not to be confused with Lais da Rims, a set of tarn lakes in the Sesvenna Range near S-charl.... |
Adriatic Sea Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges... (north of Po delta) |
Groundwater
GroundwaterGroundwater
Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. A unit of rock or an unconsolidated deposit is called an aquifer when it can yield a usable quantity of water. The depth at which soil pore spaces or fractures and voids in rock...
refers to water located beneath the ground surface, as opposed to surface water that forms lakes and rivers. This is called hydrogeology
Hydrogeology
Hydrogeology is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust, . The term geohydrology is often used interchangeably...
. The nature and location of the groundwater is defined by the geological nature of the soils. In the mid-twentieth century, knowledge of groundwater in Switzerland suffered from significant gaps. They were partially filled in the 1980s and 1990s, with a national research program.
The geological structure of Switzerland was formed by collision of two tectonic plates, the Eurasian plate
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
to the north and the Adriatic plate to the south. Geologically, the subsoil is very complex and varied with the Alps in the south, the Jura in the northwest and the plateau between them. Large quantities of water are present in the basement of Switzerland, and form a vast network linked to the geological structures. The underground lake of Saint-Léonard
Saint-Léonard underground lake
Saint-Léonard underground lake is located at Saint Léonard in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. With a length of 300 and a width of 20 m it is the largest underground lake in Europe. It was discovered in 1943 by Jean-Jacques Pittard...
, located in Valais, with its 300 m long and 25 m wide is a notable example.
Each year, one hectare of the Swiss plateau filter an average of four million liters of clean groundwater. According to the Federal Office of Environment, the Swiss basement contains about fifty billion m3 of water. Groundwater is by far the main source of drinking water in Switzerland, covering 80% of requirements. Considering other uses (drinking water and industrial water), groundwater covers 58% of requirements.
See also
- List of rivers of Switzerland
- List of lakes of Switzerland
- Geography of SwitzerlandGeography of SwitzerlandSwitzerland is a mountainous and landlocked country located in Western or Central Europe . It is surrounded by 5 countries: Austria and Liechtenstein to the east, France to the west, Italy to the south and Germany to the north...