According to data from the European Environment Agency, 80% of the freshwater we consume comes from rivers and underground waterways. This fact opens our eyes to the importance of caring for and safeguarding the quality of our rivers and other water sources. Today, we are going to focus and talk about some of the most important rivers in Europe. We'll learn their names, their main characteristics, and of course, we'll try to inform you about the most important steps to keep our waters clean.
The hydrographic network of the European continent is very extensive, since there are rivers that are very important. You might think that the most important rivers are those with the greatest flow, but that doesn't have to be the case. These bodies of water have a history behind them and can become an economic source of income for many families, as life has often been built around them.
What is a river and what types exist?
A river is understood to be a mass of water that flows from its point of birth to the place of its mouth, which may be another river, a sea or a lake. Rivers can be distinguished by their flow rate. This can vary, being greater or lesser depending on the river's constituent parts. Their flow can increase due to precipitation, springs or seepage, meltwater, or land runoff.
There are three main parts that can be differentiated in a river. The first of these is the upper course, is the part where the river originates. It is an area where the force of erosion is high, as is that of transportation. The second part is the middle course, we are talking about the area where the slope widens and decreases. In this case, there is also erosive activity as well as transport and sedimentation. Finally, we talk about the lower course, is the area of the river where you can see less slope and less speed of its waters. In this area, the sediments that it was transporting are deposited and when it reaches the point of mouth it can form a delta or estuary.
How is a river formed?
Precipitation is primarily responsible for the entry of water into watersheds. The moisture that accumulates in the clouds will reach the Earth's surface in the form of dew, rain, fog, snow, or hail. This falling water becomes food for our rivers.
This precipitation water also filters into the soil, forming groundwater. These types of water bodies are located in zones known as saturation zones, where they are stored and then flow out through pores or fissures in the soil itself. If the water flow crosses these saturated zones, the water stored within them rises to the surface and becomes part of the river's flow.
Most important rivers in Europe
As we mentioned at the beginning of this publication, the Europe's natural hydrographic network is very extensive; there are rivers within it that are truly worth visiting, not only for their grandeur but for their great beauty.. Traveling discovering new corners of the world and also getting to know the most important rivers in Europe, the truth is that it is priceless.
What Mother Nature offers us is something that cannot be explained with words. Wonderful places, landscapes, and views that we should take care of and enjoy. Take note of the following names that we are going to point out to you, since you will not only be able to admire the beauty of the rivers but also of the cities that they cross, a new way of traveling that we bring you.
Volga River
en.wikipedia.org
In this first point we bring you the The Volga River is the longest river on the European continent, with a total length of 3700 km. The river, on the map, flows through the European region of Russia. Its source is located in the Valdai Hills, a place between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and its mouth is in the Caspian Sea. It's a river that can be navigated without any problems along almost its entire course.
Danube river
It is the second longest river in Europe with a length of 2860 km. Along its long journey, it passes through 10 different countries and four capital cities: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade. Its source is in the Black Forest in Germany and flows into the Black Sea, forming a river delta teeming with diverse plants and animals. It is considered a biosphere reserve and is therefore protected.
Rin River
With a length of 1233 km, we are facing the longest European river that flows into the North Sea. Of those nearly 1300 km in length, a total of 833 are fully navigable, from the city of Basel, Switzerland, to where its delta forms in the North Sea. The source of this river is located in the Swiss Alps, and it flows through various points such as Liechtenstein and Austria, and forms the border between France and Germany. When it reaches the Netherlands, its flow divides into two branches until it reaches its mouth.
Seine river
It is the most famous French river and one of the most important in Europe. It is 776 km long and is among the three longest in the country. The Seine River rises in the Côte d'Or and flows for hundreds of kilometers to its mouth, the English Channel. The world-famous city of Paris developed along the riverbanks and is one of the main tourist attractions, alongside the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.
Tagus River
This river is the longest in Spain and runs through our territory for more than 1000 kilometers. The Tagus River originates in the Sierra de Albarracín in the province of Teruel, and after 1008 km, it flows into Lisbon, in the Mar de la Paja estuary. It flows through various autonomous communities in Spain, such as Aragón, Castilla La Mancha, Madrid, and Extremadura. It also flows through a total of six Spanish provinces: Teruel, Guadalajara, Cuenca, Madrid, Toledo, and Cáceres. It is also interesting to learn about the wildlife of europe that lives near these rivers.
Thames River
It's not one of the longest rivers we'll mention on this list, as it's "only" 346 km long, but we can say that it's one of Europe's most important rivers. The River Thames is located in southern England and is one of the most important in the country, as it runs through both Oxford and London. It rises in the Cotswold Mountains and flows into the North Sea, where it forms an estuary of the same name.
Ebro river
Second longest river in our country, since it has the Tagus ahead. It is the most important river in Spain if we consider those that originate, flow through, and flow into Spanish territory. After passing through seven autonomous communities, it flows through Cantabria, Castile and León, the Basque Country, Navarre, Aragon, and Catalonia. The source of this river is at the Tres Mares Peak in Cantabria and flows into the Mediterranean, forming the famous Ebro Delta.
river elbe
Second longest river that ends up flowing into the North Sea. This river originates in the north of the Czech Republic at an altitude of almost 1400 metres. It is 1165 kilometers long, from its source in the Giant Mountains to its mouth in the North Sea. It crosses the Czech Republic and Germany along the way.
river loire
We located this river in France, being the longest in the country with 1020 kilometers in length. It rises on Mount Gerbier de Jonc in the Massif Central and flows into the Atlantic. This river valley is popular for its banks, where you can see several ancient castles and palaces dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.
River Po
riosdelplaneta.com
Within Italian territory, this is the longest river that can be found, with a total of 652 kilometers. It rises in the Cocinian Alps, on Mount Monviso, and runs for hundreds of kilometers until it empties into the Adriatic Sea. Along the way, it passes through important cities such as Turin, Piacenza, Cremona, and Ferrara.
There are many more rivers in Europe that we could continue naming and classifying as important for different reasons. But in this short list, we wanted to show you the main ones.
Our environmental footprint can be very harmful to these large bodies of water. The various actions we carry out, both in our homes and outside of them, can cause water pollution. Pollution of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs must be prevented, as they are a source of various activities we carry out, both domestic and industrial. Furthermore, it is important to learn about What is an estuary and discover 5 impressive estuaries that we can find in Europe.
Ultimately, we are responsible for ensuring that these wonderful places maintain not only their beauty but also the quality of their waters. We end this post by telling you this because, little by little, we are destroying the health of our planet, something that is essential both for us and for the survival of other species, both animal and plant.
