Oder River

The Oder River (Czech/Polish: Odra, German: Oder, Ancient Latin: Viadua, Viadrus, Medieval Latin: Odera, Oddera) is a river in Central Europe. It begins in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming the northern 187 km of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line. The river ultimately flows into the Szczecin Lagoon north of Stettin (Szczecin) and then into three branches (Dziwna, Świna and Peene) that empty into the Baltic Sea.

Geography

The Oder River is 854 km long: 112 in the Czech Republic, 742 in Poland (including 187 on the border between Germany and Poland) and is the second longest river in Poland (after the Vistula). It drains 118,861 square kilometers of watershed, 106,056 of which are in Poland (89%), 7,217 in the Czech Republic (6%), and 5,587 in Germany (5%). Channels connect it to Havel, Spree, Vistula system and Kłodnica. It flows through Silesian, Opole, Lower Silesian, Lubusz and West Pomeranian voivodships of Poland and Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern states of Germany.

The main branch empties into the Szczecin Lagoon. The Szczecin Lagoon is bordered on the north by islands of Usedom (west) and Wolin (east). Between these two islands, there is only a narrow channel (Swina) going to the Bay of Pomerania, which forms a part of the Baltic Sea.

The largest city on the Oder River is Wrocław (Breslau).

Navigation

The Odra is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as to the town of Kozle, where the river connects to the Gliwicki Canal. The upstream part of the river is canalized and permits larger barges (up to CEMT Class IV) to navigate between the industrial sites around the Wrocław area.

Further downstream the river is free flowing, passing the towns of Eisenhüttenstadt (where a canal connects the river to the Spree in Berlin) and Frankfurt (Oder). Downstream of Frankfurt the Warta river forms a navigable connection with Poznan and Bydgosk for smaller vessels. At Hoohensaaten the Havel-Oder-Wasserstrasse connects with the Berlin waterways again.

Near its mouth the Odra reaches the town of Szczecin (Stettin), a major maritime port. The river finally reaches the Baltic Sea through the lagoon of Szczecin (Stettiner Haff) and the river mouth at Swinousjscie. (Source: NoorderSoft Waterways Database)

History

The river was known to the Romans as Viadrus, Viadua, as it was a branch of the Amber Road from the Baltic Sea to the Roman Empire. However in the Middle Ages it was called in Latin documents as Odera, Oddera and first mentioned in Dagome Iudex document (ca. 990), describing the boundary of early Poland under duke Mieszko I.

The Oder river must have been an important trade route and human settlement axis as early as 9th or 10th century as the documents mention many tribes living along the river: the Bavarian Geographer (ca. 845) specifies the following peoples: Silesians, Dadoshanie, Opolans, Lupiglaa and Golenshitse in Silesia and also Wolinians and Pyrzycans in Western Pomerania. Document of Prague bishopric (1086) mentions Zlasane, Trebovyane, Poborane and Dedositze in Silesia.

In the 13th century, the first dams were built to protect agricultural lands.

After World War II, the Oder and the Neisse formed the Oder-Neisse line, which was designated as the new border between Germany and Poland. The German populations east of these two rivers were expelled westwards.

Cities

Main section:

Ostrava - Bohumín - Racibórz - Kędzierzyn-Koźle - Krapkowice - Opole - Brzeg - Oława - Jelcz-Laskowice - Wrocław - Brzeg Dolny - Ścinawa - Szlichtyngowa - Głogów - Bytom Odrzański - Nowa Sól - Krosno Odrzańskie - Eisenhüttenstadt - Frankfurt (Oder) - Słubice - Kostrzyn - Cedynia - Schwedt - Vierraden - Gartz - Gryfino - Szczecin - Police

Dziwna branch (between Wolin Island and mainland Poland):

Wolin - Kamień Pomorski - Dziwnów

Świna branch (between Wolin and the Usedom islands):

Świnoujście

Szczecin Lagoon:

Nowe Warpno - Ueckermünde

Peene branch (between Usedom Island and the German mainland):

Usedom - Lassan - Wolgast

Right tributaries

Ostravice - Olza - Ruda - Bierawka - Kłodnica - Czarnka - Mała Panew - Stobrawa - Widawa - Jezierzyca - Barycz - Krzycki Rów - Obrzyca - Jabłonna - Pliszka - Ołobok - Gryzynka - Warta with the Noteć - Myśla - Kurzyca - Stubia - Rurzyca - Tywa - Płonia - Ina - Gowienica

Left tributaries

Opava - Psina - Cisek - Olszówka - Stradunia - Osobłoga - Prószkowski Potok - Nysa Kłodzka - Oława - Ślęza - Bystrzyca - Średzka Woda - Cicha Woda - Kaczawa - Ślepca - Zimnica - Dębniak - Biała Woda - Czarna Struga - Śląska Ochla - Zimny Potok - Bóbr - Olcha - Racza - Lusatian Neisse

External links

www.odra.org

Oder basin | Rivers of the Czech Republic | Silesia | Rivers of Poland | Rivers of Germany

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