Chomutovka is a river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Ohře River. It flows through the Ústí nad Labem Region. It is 50.4 km (31.3 mi) long.

Chomutovka
The Chomutovka at Postoloprty
Location
CountryCzech Republic
RegionÚstí nad Labem
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationHora Svatého Šebestiána, Ore Mountains
 • elevation863 m (2,831 ft)
Mouth 
 • location
Ohře
 • coordinates
50°21′45″N 13°43′5″E / 50.36250°N 13.71806°E / 50.36250; 13.71806
 • elevation
181 m (594 ft)
Length50.4 km (31.3 mi)
Basin size185.7 km2 (71.7 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average1.02 m3/s (36 cu ft/s) near estuary
Basin features
ProgressionOhřeElbeNorth Sea

Etymology edit

The river is named after the city of Chomutov.

Characteristic edit

 
Upper course of the river

The Chomutovka originates in the municipal territory of Hora Svatého Šebestiána in the Ore Mountains at the elevation of 863 m (2,831 ft) and flows to Postoloprty, where it enters the Ohře River at the elevation of 181 m (594 ft). It is 50.4 km (31.3 mi) long. Its drainage basin has an area of 185.7 km2 (71.7 sq mi).[1]

Chomutovka does not have many tributaries and none is significant. The longest of them is Hačka, a 14.3 km long right tributary of the Chomutovka.[1]

Bodies of water edit

There are 141 bodies of water in the basin area. There are two small reservoirs in the area of the upper course, but the largest water bodies are around the middle course near Chomutov.[1] Novoveský pond, a small fishpond near the Chomutovka's spring, is the only body of water built directly on the river.

Course edit

 
The Chomutovka in Chomutov

The most notable settlement on the river is the city of Chomutov. The river flows through the municipal territories of Hora Svatého Šebestiána, Blatno, Křimov, Chomutov, Údlice, Nezabylice, Bílence, Velemyšleves and Postoloprty.

A 3-metre-high waterfall is located near Hora Svatého Šebestiána. It is a tourist destination to which a marked path leads.[2] About 1.5 km further down the flow there is a second waterfall with a height of 2 m.[3]

Before it reaches Chomutov, the river flows through the mountainous landscape of the Ore Mountains. Starting with Chomutov, it flows through a flat and predominantly agricultural landscape of the Most Basin. The slope of the terrain here is approx. 0.3–0.5%.[4]

Floods edit

There is an increased risk of flooding in the section between 23.0 and 31.8 river km, which includes the city of Chomutov and the village of Údlice.[4]

Protection of nature edit

A large area of 1,881.8 ha (4,650 acres) in the spring area of the Chomutovka is protected as Prameniště Chomutovky Nature Reserve. The subject of protection are marshes and bogs, forest cover typical of these biotopes, and the occurrence of rare species of plants and animals.[5]

Another part of the upper course (before it reaches Chomutov) flows through a valley that is protected as Bezručovo údolí Nature Monument. It has an area of 952.7 ha (2,354 acres). The subject of protection is, among other, the occurrence of butterfly species dusky large blue and scarce large blue.[6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Základní charakteristiky toku Chomutovka a jeho povodí" (in Czech). T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  2. ^ "Vodopád Chomutovky" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  3. ^ "Dolní vodopád Chomutovky". vodopady.info (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  4. ^ a b "Analýza oblastí s významným povodňovým rizikem v povodí Ohře a podklady k Plánu pro zvládání povodňových rizik v povodí Labe" (in Czech). Povodí Ohře. 2020. pp. 9–14. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  5. ^ "Prameniště Chomutovky" (in Czech). Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  6. ^ "Bezručovo údolí" (in Czech). Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 2024-01-11.

External links edit