Limmat

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Limmat
Limmat River.jpg
The Limmat in Zürich, looking downstream to Rathausbrücke from Quaibrücke at Lake Zurich, Stadthausquai to the left and Limmatquai to right.
Karte Limmat.png
Location
Country Switzerland
Cantons Zurich, Aargau
Settlements Zürich (ZH), Schlieren (ZH), Dietikon (ZH), Oetwil a.d.L. (ZH), Wettingen (AG), Baden (AG), Ennetbaden (AG), Nussbaumen (AG), Turgi (AG), Untersiggenthal (AG)
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • location Lake Zurich, Zurich
 • coordinates 47°22′00″N8°32′35″E / 47.36677°N 8.54316°E / 47.36677; 8.54316
 • elevation406 m (1,332 ft)
Mouth  
 • location
 Aare, Gebenstorf
 • coordinates
 47°30′07″N8°14′15″E / 47.5019°N 8.2375°E / 47.5019; 8.2375
 • elevation
328 m (1,076 ft)
Length36.3 kilometres (22.6 mi), 140 kilometres (87 mi) (Lake Zurich and Linth included)
Basin size2,416 km2 (933 sq mi) (Lake Zurich and Linth included)
Discharge 
 • locationBaden
 • average101.0 m3/s (3,570 cu ft/s) (MQ 1951-2013)
 • minimum69.2 m3/s (2,440 cu ft/s) (MNQ 1951-2013),
24.6 m3/s (870 cu ft/s) (NNQ, 2003)
 • maximum141 m3/s (5,000 cu ft/s) (MHQ 1951-2013),
657 m3/s (23,200 cu ft/s) (HHQ, 1999)
Basin features
Progression Aare→ Rhine→ North Sea
Tributaries 
 • left Sihl, Schäflibach, Reppisch, Dorfbach Spreitenbach
 • rightLänggenbach, Furtbach, Lugibach, Gottesgraben
WaterbodiesLake Zurich, Stausee Wettingen
Rathausbrucke and Hotel zum Storchen at Weinplatz in Zurich Gmuesbrugg - Storchen-Weinplatz-Schwert-Rathaus - Munsterbrucke 2011-08-09 15-40-52.jpg
Rathausbrücke and Hotel zum Storchen at Weinplatz in Zürich
The confluence of the Limmat and Sihl, just downstream of Zurich city centre Platzspitz Sihl Limmat.jpg
The confluence of the Limmat and Sihl, just downstream of Zurich city centre
Letten Power Station in Zurich Kraftwerk Letten.jpg
Letten Power Station in Zurich
Kloster Fahr on the Limmat Kloster Fahr - Unterengstringen - Limmat 2011-09-06 19-13-42.JPG
Kloster Fahr on the Limmat
The Limmat in Ennetbaden Ennetbaden Schiefe Bruecke.jpg
The Limmat in Ennetbaden
The confluence of the Aare (to the left) and Limmat Gebenstorf02.JPG
The confluence of the Aare (to the left) and Limmat

The Limmat is a river in Switzerland. The river commences at the outfall of Lake Zurich, in the southern part of the city of Zurich. From Zurich it flows in a northwesterly direction, continuing a further 35 km it reaches the river Aare. The confluence is located north of the small town of Brugg and shortly after the mouth of the Reuss.

Contents

The main towns along the Limmat Valley downstream of Zurich are Dietikon, Wettingen, and Baden. Its main tributaries are the Linth, via Lake Zurich, the Sihl, in Zurich, and the Reppisch, in Dietikon.

The hydronym is first attested in the 8th century, as Lindimacus. It is of Gaulish origin, from *lindo- "lake" (Welsh llyn) and *magos "plain" (Welsh maes), and was thus presumably in origin the name of the plain formed by the Linth. [1]

Power generation

Like many Swiss rivers, the Limmat is intensively used for production of hydroelectric power: along its course of 35 km (22 mi), its fall is used by no less than ten hydroelectric power stations. These include:

StationCapacity (MW) Location Geographic coordinates
Aue Power Station [2] 3.9 Baden 47°28′13″N8°18′40″E / 47.47034°N 8.31098°E / 47.47034; 8.31098 (Aue Power Station)
Dietikon Power Station [3] 2.6 Dietikon 47°24′36″N8°24′30″E / 47.410137°N 8.408344°E / 47.410137; 8.408344 (Dietikon Power Station)
Höngg Power Station [4] 1 Zurich 47°24′07″N8°29′13″E / 47.401835°N 8.487035°E / 47.401835; 8.487035 (Höngg Power Station)
Kappelerhof Power Station [2] 6.8 Baden 47°29′04″N8°17′35″E / 47.484469°N 8.292945°E / 47.484469; 8.292945 (Kappelerhof Power Station)
Letten Power Station [5] 4 Zurich 47°23′15″N8°31′56″E / 47.387396°N 8.532321°E / 47.387396; 8.532321 (Letten Power Station)
Schiffmühle Power Station [2] 2.6 Untersiggenthal 47°29′19″N8°15′54″E / 47.488687°N 8.264937°E / 47.488687; 8.264937 (Schiffmühle Power Station)
Turgi Power Station [2] 1 Turgi
Wettingen Power Station [6] 26 Wettingen 47°27′24″N8°19′14″E / 47.456554°N 8.320631°E / 47.456554; 8.320631 (Wettingen Power Station)

Historically, the Limmat was an important navigation route. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, voyages from Zurich to Koblenz are recorded. In 1447, the Emperor Frederick III granted the privilege of free navigation on the Limmat and on the Rhine to Zurich. Because of the current, navigation was typically downstream only, with the barges being sold on arrival. [7]

Today, the Limmat is navigable for much of its length by small craft only, with many of the hydroelectric power plants incorporating boat lifts. The traditional boat type used on the river is the weidling, a flat-bottomed vessel that is usually 10 metres (33 ft) long. [8] [9]

The uppermost stretch of the river through the centre of Zurich is navigable by rather larger vessels, albeit limited by low bridges. On this stretch of the river the Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (Lake Zurich Navigation Company) operates its Limmat boat service, from the Landesmuseum to Lake Zurich, using low-profile motor boats. [10]

Towns near the river

Cultural Heritage

Located on the swamp land between Limmat and Zürichsee around Sechseläutenplatz on small islands and peninsulas in Zürich, Prehistoric pile dwellings around Zürichsee were set on piles to protect against occasional flooding by the Linth and Jona. Zürich–Enge Alpenquai is located on Zürichsee lakeshore in Enge, a locality of the municipality of Zürich. It was neighbored by the settlements at Kleiner Hafner and Grosser Hafner on a then peninsula respectively island in the effluence of the Limmat, within an area of about 0.2 square kilometres (49.42 acres) in the city of Zürich. As well as being part of the 56 Swiss sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, the settlement is also listed in the Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance as a Class object. [11] [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Zurich</span> Major lake in Switzerland

Lake Zurich is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or Zürichsee can be used to describe the lake as a whole, or just that part of the lake downstream of the Seedamm at Rapperswil, whilst the part upstream of Rapperswil may be called the Obersee or Upper Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canton of Zürich</span> Canton of Switzerland

The canton of Zürich is a Swiss canton in the northeastern part of the country. With a population of 1,553,423, it is the most populous canton in the country. Zürich is the de facto capital of the canton, but is not specifically mentioned in the constitution. The official language is German. The local Swiss German dialect, called Züritüütsch, is commonly spoken.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapperswil-Jona</span> Municipality in St. Gallen, Switzerland

Rapperswil-Jona is a municipality in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Besides Rapperswil and Jona, which were separate municipalities until 2006, Rapperswil-Jona also includes Bollingen, Busskirch, Curtiberg, Kempraten-Lenggis, Wagen, and Wurmsbach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enge (Zürich)</span>

Enge is a quarter in District 2 of Zürich, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft</span>

The Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft or Lake Zürich Navigation Company is a public Swiss company operating passenger ships and boats on Lake Zürich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapperswil</span> Former municipality of Switzerland in St. Gallen

Rapperswil is a former municipality and since January 2007 part of the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona in the Wahlkreis (constituency) of See-Gaster in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland, located between Obersee and the main part of Lake Zurich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Limmat Valley</span> River valley in Switzerland

The Limmat Valley is a river valley and a region in the cantons of Zürich and Aargau in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feldmeilen</span> Former municipality in Zürich, Switzerland

Feldmeilen is a village (Wacht) within the municipality of Meilen in the Canton of Zürich in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zürichhorn</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurden</span> Former municipality in Schwyz, Switzerland

Hurden is a village in the municipality of Freienbach in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. First mentioned in 1217, the name "de Hurden" was used for the peninsula and for the fish traps made of woven work, called "Hürden" or "Hurden", which were used by the locals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turicum</span> Former Gallo-Roman settlement in Switzerland

Turicum was a Gallo-Roman settlement at the lower end of Lake Zurich, and precursor of the city of Zürich. It was situated within the Roman province of Gallia Belgica and near the border to the province of Raetia; there was a tax-collecting point for goods traffic on the waterway Walensee–Obersee-Zürichsee–Limmat–Aare–Rhine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kleiner Hafner</span> Prehistoric pile dwelling in Switzerland

Kleiner Hafner is one of the 111 serial sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, of which are 56 located in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grosser Hafner</span>

Grossner Hafner is one of the 111 serial sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, of which are 56 located in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prehistoric pile dwellings around Lake Zurich</span> UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cantons of Schwyz, St. Gallen and Zürich in Switzerland

Prehistoric pile dwellings around Lake Zurich comprises 11 – or 10% of all European pile dwelling sites – of a total of 56 prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps in Switzerland, that are located around Lake Zurich in the cantons of Schwyz, St. Gallen and Zürich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapperswil-Jona–Technikum</span> Archaeological site in Switzerland

Rapperswil-Jona–Technikum is one of the 111 serial sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, of which are 56 located in Switzerland. Located on a small former island on upper Lake Zürich in Rapperswil, a locality of the municipality of Rapperswil-Jona in the Canton of St. Gallen. Due to its location on a former island at the medieval Heilig Hüsli bridge chapel, the site sometimes is also referred to Rapperswil Heilighüsli or Inseldorf, meaning island village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zürich–Enge Alpenquai</span> UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canton of Zürich, Switzerland

Zürich–Enge Alpenquai is one of the 111 serial sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, of which 56 are located in Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellevueplatz</span> Town square in Zürich, Switzerland

Bellevueplatz is a town square in Zürich, Switzerland built in 1856. Named after the former Grandhotel Bellevue on its north side, it is one of the nodal points for roads and public transportation in Zürich, as well as an extension of the quaysides in Zürich that were built between 1881 and 1887.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bürkliplatz, Zürich</span>

Bürkliplatz is a town square in Zürich, Switzerland. It is named after Arnold Bürkli, and is one of nodal points of the road and public transportation, and of the lake shore promenades that were built between 1881 and 1887. The tree-shaded square between Bahnhofstrasse and Fraumünsterstrasse is called Stadthausanlage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bauschänzli</span> Artificial island in Zürich, Switzerland

Bauschänzli is an artificial island, town square, and public park in Zürich, Switzerland. Bauschänzli is one of the last remains of the Baroque fortifications of Zürich which began in 1642. The neighboring Schanzengraben (moat) and the Old Botanical Garden are part of these remains. Since 1907, the island has been used as a restaurant, although it is officially a public square and park.

References

  1. ↑ Felix Stähelin (1935), "Die vorrömische Schweiz im Lichte geschichtlicher Zeugnisse und sprachlicher Tatsachen", Zeitschrift für schweizerische Geschichte (in German), Leemann, vol. Band 15, pp. 337–368
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Limmat Power Generation". Regional Werke AG Baden. Archived from the original on 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  3. ↑ "Flusskraftwerk Dietikon". Elektrizitätswerke des Kantons Zürich. Archived from the original on 2013-05-22. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  4. ↑ "Kraftwerk Höngg". City of Zurich. Archived from the original on 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  5. ↑ "Kraftwerk Letten". City of Zurich. Archived from the original on 2013-06-28. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  6. ↑ "Kraftwerk Wettingen". City of Zurich. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  7. ↑ "Limmat". Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (in German). Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  8. ↑ "Funicular Boat Lifts of Switzerland". funimag.com. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  9. ↑ "Clubportrait Schiffe" (in German). Archived from the original on 2005-12-15. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  10. ↑ "Limmat river cruises". Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft. Retrieved 2013-04-24.
  11. ↑ "A-Objekte KGS-Inventar". Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft, Amt für Bevölkerungsschutz. 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2014-12-10.
  12. ↑ "Prehistoric Pile Dwellings in Switzerland". Swiss Coordination Group UNESCO Palafittes (palafittes.org). Archived from the original on 2014-10-07. Retrieved 2014-12-10.
  13. ↑ "World Heritage". palafittes.org. Archived from the original on 2014-12-09. Retrieved 2014-12-10.
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