This is a list of rivers of the Czech Republic .
This is a list of rivers of the Czech Republic .
Czech language distinguishes between large (river; in Czech řeka ) and small (stream, creek, brook; in Czech potok ) watercourses. River names are mostly self-standing one-word nouns. Stream names often consist of two words because they contain an adjective (usually stemming from physical properties (e.g. Černý potok – "black stream"), usage (e.g. Mlýnský potok – "mill stream") or derived from the location through which it flows (e.g. Rakovnický potok – "Rakovník stream"). These two-word names form an inseparable whole.
While the Elbe is the longest Czech-related river when measured through its overall length (i.e. including its lower course in Germany), its tributary the Vltava surpasses it as the longest river within the territory of the Czech Republic itself. (In fact the Vltava also carries more water than the Elbe at their confluence.)
| Rank | River | Length within the CR (km) | Avg. discharge [a] (m³/s) | Total basin (km2) | Tributary to | Mouth location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vltava (+Teplá Vltava) | 431 [b] | 151 | 28,090 | Elbe | Mělník |
| 2 | Elbe | 370 [c] | 308 | 144,055 | North Sea | Cuxhaven (Germany) |
| 3 | Morava | 269 [d] | 65 [e] | 26,658 | Danube | Bratislava (Slovakia) |
| 4 | Ohře | 256 [f] | 38 | 5,606 | Elbe | Litoměřice |
| 5 | Berounka (+Mže) | 242 [g] | 36 | 8,854 | Vltava | Prague |
| 6 | Sázava | 225 | 25 | 4,350 | Vltava | Davle |
| 7 | Thaya | 196 [h] | 44 | 13,419 | Morava | Lanžhot |
| 8 | Jihlava | 181 | 12 | 2,997 | Svratka | Ivaň |
| 9 | Svratka | 174 | 15 [i] | 7,119 | Thaya | Pouzdřany |
| 10 | Jizera | 167 | 24 | 2,193 | Elbe | Lázně Toušeň |
| 11 | Lužnice | 158 [j] | 24 | 4,235 | Vltava | Hosty |
| 12 | Oder | 136 [k] | 48 | 118,861 | Baltic Sea | Świnoujście (Poland) |
| 13 | Otava (+Vydra) | 135 | 26 | 3,827 | Vltava | Zvíkovské Podhradí |
| 14 | Orlice (+Divoká Orlice) | 129 [l] | 22 | 2,036 | Elbe | Hradec Králové |
| 15 | Opava (+Černá Opava) | 129 | 18 | 2,089 | Oder | Ostrava |
| 16 | Bečva (+Vsetínská Bečva) | 120 | 18 | 1,626 | Morava | Troubky |
| 17 | Radbuza | 110 | 11 | 2,182 | Berounka | Plzeň |
| 18 | Chrudimka | 106 | 6 | 866 | Elbe | Pardubice |
| 19 | Úhlava | 104 | 6 | 908 | Radbuza | Plzeň |
| 20 | Želivka (+Hejlovka) | 104 | 4 | 1,188 | Sázava | Soutice |
| 21 | Tichá Orlice | 102 | 7 | 756 | Orlice | Žďár nad Orlicí |
| 22 | Střela | 102 | 3 | 922 | Berounka | Liblín |
| 23 | Ploučnice | 101 | 8 | 1,188 | Elbe | Děčín |
| 24 | Oslava | 101 | 3 | 867 | Jihlava | Ivančice |
| 25 | Moravice | 101 | 8 | 900 | Opava | Opava |
This is a hierarchical list that includes all rivers and other streams whose length within the territory of the Czech Republic is at least 20 kilometres.
This is an alphabetical list that includes all rivers whose total length is at least 50 kilometres and have at least a small part in the Czech Republic. The Czech name is given in brackets in italics for rivers, the greater part of which is outside the territory of the country.
As the main European watershed passes through the Czech Republic, there are three directions and principal areas of drainage (very roughly overlapping with historical territories of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia):
Almost 2/3 of the country is drained in NW direction through the Elbe into the North Sea. The Morava flowing towards SE collects water from eastern regions of the Czech Republic and discharges into Danube which flows to the Black Sea. The northeast and some northern portions of the territory is drained by the Oder and its tributaries like the Lusatian Neisse into the Baltic Sea. The corresponding watershed tripoint with a marker for symbolic "roof of Europe" (50°9'27"N 16°47'27"E) is located at Czech-Polish border on Mt. Klepáč near Dolní Morava in Králický Sněžník Mountains.
The catchment area of the Elbe down to Czech-German border in Hřensko/Schöna covers 51,394 square kilometres (19,843 sq mi). This figure includes upper courses of some tributaries starting in neighbouring countries. The area solely within Czech borders is slightly smaller and this is the figure given in the following table, which shows Czech territory divided after drainage basins.
| River | level 1 | level 2 | level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elbe | 49,933 [m] | ||
| Vltava | 27,006.7 [n] | ||
| Ohře | 4,601.1 [o] | ||
| Danube | 21,736 [p] | ||
| Morava | 20,692.4 [q] | ||
| Thaya | 11,164.7 [r] | ||
| Oder | 7,217 | ||
| total (km2) | 78,886 |
The Vltava is the longest river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Elbe River. It runs southeast along the Bohemian Forest and then north across Bohemia, through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague. It is commonly referred to as the "Czech national river".
The Morava is a river in Central Europe, a left tributary of the Danube. It is the main river of Moravia historical region in the Czech Republic, which derives its name from the river. The Morava originates on the Králický Sněžník mountain in the north-eastern corner of Pardubice Region, near the border between the Czech Republic and Poland and has a vaguely southward trajectory. The lower part of the river's course forms the border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia and then between Austria and Slovakia.
The Thaya is a river in the Czech Republic and Austria, a right tributary of the Morava River. It flows through the South Moravian Region in the Czech Republic and through Lower Austria in Austria. It is formed by the confluence of the German Thaya and Moravian Thaya rivers. Together with the German Thaya, which is its main source, the Thaya is 311 km (193 mi) long. Without the German Thaya, it is 235.4 km (146.3 mi) long. In the Czech Republic, the Thaya is the seventh longest river in the country with a length of 196.2 km (121.9 mi).
The Berounka is a river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Vltava River. It flows through the Plzeň and Central Bohemian regions to Prague. It is formed by the confluence of the Mže and Radbuza rivers in Plzeň. Together with the Mže, which is its main source, the Berounka is 244.6 km (152.0 mi) long, which makes it the fifth longest river in the Czech Republic. Without the Mže, it is 139.4 km (86.6 mi) long.
The Orlice is a river in the Czech Republic, with a brief stretch in Poland. It is a left tributary of the Elbe River. It flows through the Hradec Králové Region. It is formed by the confluence of the Divoká Orlice and Tichá Orlice rivers. Together with the Divoká Orlice, which is its main source, the Orlice is 132.2 km (82.1 mi) long, of which 129.0 km (80.2 mi) is in the Czech Republic, making it the 14th longest river in the country. Without the Divoká Orlice, it is 32.9 km (20.4 mi) long.
The Bečva is a river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Morava River. It flows through the Olomouc and Zlín regions. It is formed by the confluence of the Vsetínská Bečva and Rožnovská Bečva rivers. Together with the Vsetínská Bečva, which is its main source, the Bečva is 121.0 km (75.2 mi) long, making it the 16th longest river in the Czech Republic. Without the Vsetínská Bečva, it is 61.6 km (38.3 mi) long.
Ústí nad Orlicí District is a district in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Ústí nad Orlicí, but the most populated town is Česká Třebová.
Žďár nad Sázavou District is a district in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Žďár nad Sázavou.
The Divoká Orlice is a river in the Czech Republic and Poland. It flows through Lower Silesian Voivodeship in Poland and through the Hradec Králové and Pardubice regions. It is the upper and middle course of the Orlice, but usually it is considered a separate river. Until its confluence with the Tichá Orlice, when it further continues as the Orlice, the Divoká Orlice is 99.3 km (61.7 mi) long.
Prague-West District is a district in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is Prague. The most populated town of the district is Jesenice.
Břeclav District is a district in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Břeclav.
Lanžhot is a town in Břeclav District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,600 inhabitants. Located on the border with Austria and Slovakia, it is the southernmost Moravian town.
Bruntál District is a district in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Bruntál, but the most populated town is Krnov.
Dolany nad Vltavou is a municipality and village in Mělník District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,000 inhabitants.
Obříství is a municipality and village in Mělník District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,700 inhabitants.
The Zdobnice is a river in the Czech Republic, a right tributary of the Divoká Orlice River. It flows through the Hradec Králové Region. It is 33.9 km (21.1 mi) long.
The Bystřice is a river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Morava River. It flows through the Olomouc and Moravian-Silesian regions. It is 56.1 km (34.9 mi) long.
