Tributaries of the Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia

The Rhine also has numerous tributaries in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Erft flows along the left (western) bank of the Rhine. It rises near Nettersheim in the Eifel and joins the Rhine at Neuss, 106 km downstream. The Erft flows through three districts and the district towns of Euskirchen, Bergheim and Neuss. Its longest tributaries are the Neffelbach, Rotbach and Gillbach.

On the right-hand (eastern) side, the Sieg flows through the south of the state, giving the Siegerland its name. The Sieg rises in the Rothaar Mountains, near the towns of Netphen and Bad Laasphe. After 155 km, it flows into the Rhine near Bonn. The Sieg passes through the towns of Netphen, Siegen, Betzdorf, Windeck and Siegburg.

The Wupper is 116 km long. Its name changes along its course: near its source at Meinerzhagen, it is still called the Wipper. It joins the Rhine at Leverkusen. In the city of Wuppertal, which takes its name from the river, the world-famous suspension railway runs above the Wupper. The Müngsten Bridge also crosses the Wupper. It is Germany’s highest railway bridge, spanning the valley between Remscheid and Solingen at a height of 107 metres.

For a long time, the Ruhr was an important waterway used to transport large quantities of coal. It gave the Ruhr region its name. Coal mining began along its northern banks. The Ruhr rises at Mount Ruhrkopf, about 3 km northeast of the town of Winterberg in the Sauerland. After 219 km, it flows into the Rhine at Duisburg. The Ruhr’s tributaries include the Lenne and the Möhne . The Lenne has been dammed in several places so that its water can be used to generate electricity. A reservoir was built on the Möhne, supplying drinking water to many people in the Ruhr region.

The Emscher rises near Holzwickede, southeast of Dortmund, and flows into the Rhine near Dinslaken. This river was once considered one of the most polluted waterways in Europe, heavily contaminated by industrial and municipal wastewater. It has since become cleaner.

As a result of coal mining, some areas have subsided by several metres. Levees had to be built along the Emscher, so that in some places the river lies higher than the surrounding land. Water from its tributaries then has to be pumped up into the Emscher.

The River Lippe is 220 km long, making it one kilometre longer than the Ruhr. It flows along the northern edge of the Ruhr region. It too once played an important role in transporting coal. It rises near the town of Lippspringe in the Egge Hills and flows into the Rhine at Wesel. Its water is used to regulate water levels in the canals and to cool many power stations in the Ruhr region.