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The Franconian Saale (German: Fränkische Saale) is a 140 km long river in Bavaria, Germany.[1] It is a right-bank tributary of the Main, in Lower Franconia. It should not be confused with the larger Saxon Saale (German: Sächsische Saale), which is a tributary of the Elbe River.

Franconian Saale
The Franconian Saale near Hammelburg
Location
CountryGermany
StateBavaria
DistrictLower Franconia
Reference no.DE: 244
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationin the Grabfeld region near Bad Königshofen
  coordinates50°17′57″N 10°35′40″E
  elevation313 m above sea level (NN)
Mouth 
  location
near Gemünden into the Main
  coordinates
50°03′21″N 9°41′06″E
  elevation
211 m (692 ft)
Length140.0 km (87.0 mi) [1]
Basin size2,764.82 km2 (1,067.50 sq mi) [2]
Discharge 
  locationWolfsmünster Gauge
  average16.6 m3/s (590 cu ft/s)
  minimumAverage low: 4.14 m3/s (146 cu ft/s)
  maximumAverage high: 137 m3/s (4,800 cu ft/s)
Basin features
ProgressionMainRhineNorth Sea
Landmarks
Tributaries 
  leftBarget, Lauer
  rightKrummengraben, Milz, Streu, Brend, Kellersbach, Aschach, Thulba, Schondra, Sinn
BridgesSaale Valley Bridge at Hollstadt

The Franconian Saale flows through Bad Königshofen, Bad Neustadt, Bad Kissingen, Hammelburg and flows into the Main River in Gemünden am Main.


Course



Headwaters


The Franconian Saale begins in the region of Grabfeld east and southeast of Bad Königshofen at the confluence of two headstreams:

The names of the two headstream sources indicate that they both claim to be the source of the Franconian Saale itself. A possible third source is Brennhausen.


Course and mouth


From the confluence of its headwaters, south-east of Bad Königshofen, the Franconian Saale flows in a broadly southwesterly direction along the southeastern edge of the Rhön Mountains. It passes through Bad Neustadt, Bad Bocklet, Bad Kissingen, Hammelburg and Gräfendorf to Gemünden, where it joins the River Main from the northeast.


Catchment area


The water catchment area of the Franconian Saale is 2,765 km2. Its kilometrage is measured from its confluence with the Main (0.00 km on the Saale, 211.0 km on the Main) to its more distant source at Alsleben (135.0 km).


Name


The Franconian Saale is mentioned for the first time in the year 777 under the names Salu and Sala in a register from the town of Fulda. These terms both have the general meaning of "flowing waters" and had already been documented by the Greek geographer, Strabo (ca. 63 b.c.–a.d. 23).


Ecology


The Franconian Saale has been altered by man for centuries in order to farm the Saale valley more intensively. The river was straightened by cutting across its meanders. The width of the river has also been standardized for long sections. Riparian forests were cleared and its banks reinforced, water mills and small hydropower stations and weirs were built and former flood zones were built on.

All this has seriously affected the ecological function of the river. Embankments and dams change its flow rate and consistency (Durchgängigkeit), destroying the unity of the river and meadow and encouraging devastating flooding. For several years the water authority in Schweinfurt has instigated projects to try, at least in part, to return the Franconian Saale to its former ecological role by removing bank reinforcements, circumnavigating weirs and regenerating riparian woodland.


Fauna


The Franconian Saale is a habitat for the European eel, Chub, Ide, Grayling, Brown trout, Stone Loach, Barbel Bitterling, Bream, Minnow, Perch, Gudgeon, Dace, Pike, Ruffe, Bullhead, Nase, Roach, Rudd, Burbot and Carp, as well as the occasional Signal crayfish.[3]


Flooding


Towns and villages close to the Saale that are particularly affected by regular flooding are Bad Kissingen, Westheim, Diebach, Gräfendorf, Wolfsmünster and Gemünden, as the highwater marks on historic buildings show. Bad Kissingen rarely escapes several flooding each year. However, flood protection measures involving the construction of weirs and defensive barriers have been implemented in its historic town centre.


Gauging stations


Gauging stations are located in Bad Kissingen (the Prinzregentenbau Gauge) and Wolfsmünster (Saale Bridge Gauge). The measurements are published by the Schweinfurt Water Authority (Wasserwirtschaftsamt Schweinfurt).


Tributaries


Confluence of the two headstreams near Untereßfeld
Confluence of the two headstreams near Untereßfeld
Mouth of the Sinn on the Franconian Saale
Mouth of the Sinn on the Franconian Saale
The Franconian Saale in Bad Kissingen (spa park)
The Franconian Saale in Bad Kissingen (spa park)

After the confluence of the two headstreams the following tributaries flow into the Franconian Saale:

A comprehensive list including the smaller tributaries is in the List of tributaries of the Franconian Saale (German).


Municipalities on the Franconian Saale


The Franconian Saale flow through or past the following municipalities:


Castles in the Saale valley


View over the Trimburg into the Saale valley
View over the Trimburg into the Saale valley

There are several picturesque castles in the Saale valley:


Bridges over the Saale


Footbridge over the upper Saale near Untereßfeld
Footbridge over the upper Saale near Untereßfeld
Pontoon bridge over the Franconian Saale (Roßmühle)
Pontoon bridge over the Franconian Saale (Roßmühle)
Saale bridge near Michelau
Saale bridge near Michelau
Weir and fish ladder by the Roßmühle mill
Weir and fish ladder by the Roßmühle mill

Important crossings include:


Weirs


There are numerous weirs on the Franconian Saale, originally built in order to drive water mills, but today some are used to generate electricity. All weirs are equipped with fish ladders:


Boating


In spite of the many weirs the Franconian Saale is popular with canoeists as a slowly flowing river route. The river may be canoed from Bad Neustadt to Gemünden with a few restrictions. Boats may have up to four seats, be no longer than 6.00 metres and no wider than 1.10 metres. Rafting and the coupling of boats is not permitted.


The Saale Valley Railway


The railway line from Bad Kissingen to Gemünden via Hammelburg and Gräfendorf known as the Saale Valley Railway runs along the lower course of the Franconian Saale. Until 1997 the Grabfeld Railway ran along its upper reaches linking Bad Neustadt and Bad Königshofen.


References


  1. Complete table of the Bavarian Waterbody Register by the Bavarian State Office for the Environment (xls, 10.3 MB)
  2. Hochwasser Aktionsplan Main
  3. "Fischereiverband Unterfranken: Fränkische Saale". Archived from the original on 1 April 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2010.

На других языках


[de] Fränkische Saale

Die Fränkische Saale ist ein nordöstlicher Nebenfluss des Mains im bayerischen Unterfranken. Sie entspringt im Grabfeld nahe Bad Königshofen, verläuft am Südrand der Rhön und mündet in Gemünden als dessen größter rechter Nebenfluss in den Main (FS-km 211,0).
- [en] Franconian Saale

[es] Saale Franconio

El río Saale Franconio (en alemán: Fränkische Saale) es un afluente del río Meno de 139 km de longitud que fluye por la Baja Franconia, en el estado federado de Baviera, Alemania. No debe ser confundido con el río Saale que desemboca en el río Elba.

[it] Saale di Franconia

La Saale di Franconia (in tedesco Fränkische Saale), è un fiume tedesco, affluente del Meno, che scorre interamente in Baviera, prevalentemente nella Franconia. Lungo 139 km, nasce da due corsi d'acqua presso Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld e sfocia nel Meno presso Gemünden am Main in Bassa Franconia.

[ru] Франконская Зале

Франко́нская За́ле[1][2] (нем. Fränkische Saale) — река в Германии, правый приток Майна. Протекает по земле Бавария. Площадь бассейна реки составляет 2766,45 км²[3]. Длина реки — 140 км[3]. Высота истока 313 м[4]. Высота устья 154 м[5].



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