Vils (Lech)
Encyclopedia
The river Vils is a 30 km long tributary of the Lech River
in the Alps
of Austria
and Germany
. The Vils has a drainage basin
of approximately a 300 km², with an average annual precipitation of nearly 2000 mm.
It originates in the Allgäu Alps
in Tyrol
from the supplies of the Vilsalpsee, and is its only discharge. Its water flows first in the northern and northwestern directions, in the Reutte district
through the Vils- and Tannheimer valleys and here it runs along the B 199 road through Tannheim
, Zoeblen and Schattwald
. From here the Vils descends down the waterfall "Vilsfall", only slightly east/northeast of the Oberjoch Pass
and only a few hundred meters east of the border to Germany. Then the river crosses the border into southern Bavaria
, turns northeast and reaches the municipality Pfronten
in the district Ostallgäu
. Then it flows eastwards along the B 308, again crossing the border into Tyrol, flows below the Tannheimer mountains slightly south of the German border and parallel to this through the municipality Vils
, and after going under the B 179 flows directly into the Lech.
With an average discharge of 76.8 m3/s, the Vils is among the largest rivers in Bavaria.
Lech River
The Lech is a river in Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube in length with a drainage basin of .Its source is located in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, where the river rises from lake Formarinsee in the Alps at an altitude of...
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....
of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and Germany
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...
. The Vils has a drainage 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...
of approximately a 300 km², with an average annual precipitation of nearly 2000 mm.
It originates in the Allgäu Alps
Allgäu Alps
The Allgäu Alps are a mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps, located in Bavaria in Germany and Tyrol and Vorarlberg in Austria. The range lies directly east of Lake Constance.-Principal summits:-External links:*...
in Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
from the supplies of the Vilsalpsee, and is its only discharge. Its water flows first in the northern and northwestern directions, in the Reutte district
Reutte (district)
- Administrative divisions :The 37 municipalities of the district:* Bach* Berwang* Biberwier* Bichlbach* Breitenwang* Ehenbichl* Ehrwald* Elbigenalp* Elmen* Forchach* Grän* Gramais* Häselgehr* Heiterwang* Hinterhornbach* Höfen* Holzgau* Jungholz...
through the Vils- and Tannheimer valleys and here it runs along the B 199 road through Tannheim
Tannheim
Tannheim is a municipality in the district of Biberach, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located in upper Swabia at the river Iller which forms the border to Bavaria.Tannheim is the home of the annual Tannkosh airshow.-External links:****...
, Zoeblen and Schattwald
Schattwald
Schattwald is a municipality in the Austrian district of Reutte, Tyrol.Schattwald is home to Wannenjoch Mountain House, which is a tourist resort that overlooks the ski valley below....
. From here the Vils descends down the waterfall "Vilsfall", only slightly east/northeast of the Oberjoch Pass
Oberjoch Pass
The Oberjoch Pass is a mountain pass in the Allgäu Alps just one kilometre west of the Austrian border. It links Bad Hindelang, Schattwald and Jungholz.Between 1938 and 1945 the pass was called "Adolf-Hitler-Pass".-See also:...
and only a few hundred meters east of the border to Germany. Then the river crosses the border into southern Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, turns northeast and reaches the municipality Pfronten
Pfronten
Pfronten is a municipality in the district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria in Germany.-External links: German Wikipedia article...
in the district Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Augsburg, Landsberg, Weilheim-Schongau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and by the Austrian state of Tyrol...
. Then it flows eastwards along the B 308, again crossing the border into Tyrol, flows below the Tannheimer mountains slightly south of the German border and parallel to this through the municipality Vils
Vils, Austria
Vils is a town in the Austrian district of Reutte, Tyrol.-External links:...
, and after going under the B 179 flows directly into the Lech.
With an average discharge of 76.8 m3/s, the Vils is among the largest rivers in Bavaria.