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Enns River

Enns River

Overview
The Enns is a southern tributary of the Danube River, joining northward at Enns
Enns (city)
Enns is a city in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, located 281 m above sea level on the river Enns, which forms the border to the state of Lower Austria....

, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...

. The Enns River spans , in a flat-J-shape. It flows from its source near the towns of Gasthofalm and Flachau
Flachau
Flachau is a village in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in Salzburg, Austria, with a population of 2625 . Its numerous skiing facilities are part of the Ski Amadé network of ski areas, the largest in Europe.- History :...

, generally eastward through Radstadt
Radstadt
Radstadt is a town in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in Salzburg, Austria. As of 2001 it has a population of 4,710. It is located at the confluence of the Taurach stream and Enns River in the upper Ennstal valley at the foot of Roßbrand Mountain. It is also a popular tourism resort, with more...

, Schladming
Schladming
Schladming is a small mining town in the Styria area of Austria, that is now very popular with tourists. It has become a large ski resort and has held various skiing competitions recently. The shopping area has lots of cafes, restaurant and a variety of shops and caters well for tourists.As of...

, and Liezen
Liezen
Liezen is a municipality in the Austrian Land of the Federal Republic Styria, district capital of the district of the same name and economic center on the River Enns....

, then turns north near Hieflau
Hieflau
Hieflau is a municipality in the district of Leoben in Styria, Austria....

, to flow past Weyer
Weyer
Weyer is a German surname and placename. Etymologically, it appears to be a habitational name meaning "someone living in a place called Weier, Weiher or Weyer"...

 and Ternberg
Ternberg
Ternberg is a municipality in the district of Steyr-Land in Upper Austria, Austria.- Geographics :Ternberg is part of the upper Austrian region Traunviertel. Its area from North to South is 9,5 km, from West to East 11,7 km....

 into Steyr
Steyr
Steyr is a town in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria, located at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns.It has a long history as a manufacturing center, and has given its name to several manufacturers headquartered there, such as Steyr Mannlicher , Steyr Tractor, and Steyr...

, and further north to the Danube at Enns
Enns (city)
Enns is a city in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, located 281 m above sea level on the river Enns, which forms the border to the state of Lower Austria....

 (see map in References).

The Enns has its source in the Radstädter Tauern mountains in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...

n state of Salzburg
Salzburg (state)
Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,154 km2, located adjacent to the German border. With 529,085 inhabitants it is one of the country's smaller states in terms of population...

.
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Encyclopedia
The Enns is a southern tributary of the Danube River, joining northward at Enns
Enns (city)
Enns is a city in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, located 281 m above sea level on the river Enns, which forms the border to the state of Lower Austria....

, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...

. The Enns River spans , in a flat-J-shape. It flows from its source near the towns of Gasthofalm and Flachau
Flachau
Flachau is a village in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in Salzburg, Austria, with a population of 2625 . Its numerous skiing facilities are part of the Ski Amadé network of ski areas, the largest in Europe.- History :...

, generally eastward through Radstadt
Radstadt
Radstadt is a town in the district of St. Johann im Pongau in Salzburg, Austria. As of 2001 it has a population of 4,710. It is located at the confluence of the Taurach stream and Enns River in the upper Ennstal valley at the foot of Roßbrand Mountain. It is also a popular tourism resort, with more...

, Schladming
Schladming
Schladming is a small mining town in the Styria area of Austria, that is now very popular with tourists. It has become a large ski resort and has held various skiing competitions recently. The shopping area has lots of cafes, restaurant and a variety of shops and caters well for tourists.As of...

, and Liezen
Liezen
Liezen is a municipality in the Austrian Land of the Federal Republic Styria, district capital of the district of the same name and economic center on the River Enns....

, then turns north near Hieflau
Hieflau
Hieflau is a municipality in the district of Leoben in Styria, Austria....

, to flow past Weyer
Weyer
Weyer is a German surname and placename. Etymologically, it appears to be a habitational name meaning "someone living in a place called Weier, Weiher or Weyer"...

 and Ternberg
Ternberg
Ternberg is a municipality in the district of Steyr-Land in Upper Austria, Austria.- Geographics :Ternberg is part of the upper Austrian region Traunviertel. Its area from North to South is 9,5 km, from West to East 11,7 km....

 into Steyr
Steyr
Steyr is a town in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria, located at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns.It has a long history as a manufacturing center, and has given its name to several manufacturers headquartered there, such as Steyr Mannlicher , Steyr Tractor, and Steyr...

, and further north to the Danube at Enns
Enns (city)
Enns is a city in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, located 281 m above sea level on the river Enns, which forms the border to the state of Lower Austria....

 (see map in References).

Geography


The Enns has its source in the Radstädter Tauern mountains in the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...

n state of Salzburg
Salzburg (state)
Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,154 km2, located adjacent to the German border. With 529,085 inhabitants it is one of the country's smaller states in terms of population...

. In a valley which developed during the ice age
Ice age
The general term "ice age" or, more precisely, "glacial age" denotes a geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in an expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Within a long-term ice age, individual...

, it flows at the border between the Northern Limestone Alps
Northern Limestone Alps
The Northern Limestone Alps are the ranges of the Eastern Alps north of the Central Eastern Alps located in the alpine states of Austria and Germany. The distinction from the latter group, where the higher peaks are located, is based on differences in geological composition...

 and the Central Eastern Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps are the core ranges of the Eastern Alps with the highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition...

 on an eastern trajectory through Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area, it is the second largest of the nine Austrian states, covering 16,388 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. The...

, where it passes the Dachstein group at its southern side. Between Admont
Admont
Admont is a town in Styria, Austria, with a population of 2775 . It is historically most notable for Admont Abbey, a monastery founded in 1074.-External links:* *...

 and Hieflau
Hieflau
Hieflau is a municipality in the district of Leoben in Styria, Austria....

, it takes a turn to the North and passes through the Gesäuse, a gorge of a length of 15 km, where it penetrates the limestone of the Ennstaler Alpen
Ennstaler Alpen
The Ennstaler Alps are a mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps. They are located in the Austrian states of Styria and Upper Austria, but mostly in Styria. The most famous scenery in the Ennstaler Alpen is the Gesäuse, a valley where the Enns breaks through the limestone....

. Flowing to the north from there on, it reaches the state of Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...

 at the mouth of the Laußabach. North of Steyr
Steyr
Steyr is a town in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria, located at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns.It has a long history as a manufacturing center, and has given its name to several manufacturers headquartered there, such as Steyr Mannlicher , Steyr Tractor, and Steyr...

, it forms the border between Upper Austria and Lower Austria
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeast state of the nine states or Bundesländer in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten , but formerly, the capital of Lower Austria was Vienna, even though Vienna is not properly part of Lower Austria...

 (formerly also known as Austria above the Enns and Austria below the Enns). Finally, it meets the Danube at Mauthausen
Mauthausen
Mauthausen is a small market town in Upper Austria, Austria. It is located at about 20 kilometers east of the city of Linz, and has a population of 4,850 .During World War II, it became the site of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp complex....

 and the city of Enns
Enns (city)
Enns is a city in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, located 281 m above sea level on the river Enns, which forms the border to the state of Lower Austria....

.

The Enns is a typical wild water river and draws its water from an area of more than 6,000 km², which is the fifth largest in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...

. The average outflow at its mouth is 201 m³ per second
Cubic metres per second
A cubic metre per second is a derived SI unit of flow rate equal to that of a cube with sides of one metre in length exchanged or moving each second...

.

History


In the middle of the 19th century, canals began to be built along the 70 km between Weißenbach and the Gesäuse in order to make use of the water for agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...

 and forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the art and science of managing forests, tree plantations, and related natural resources. The main goal of forestry is to create and implement systems that allow forests to continue a sustainable continuation of environmental supplies and services...

.

In total, ten power plants with a total generative power of 345 megawatts have been built by the Ennskraftwerke AG.

Power stations

  • Schönau
    Schönau
    Schönau can refer to several places:*in Germany:**Schönau , a town in Baden-Württemberg***Schönau Abbey, in this town**Schönau im Schwarzwald, a town in Baden-Württemberg...

  • Weyer
    Weyer
    Weyer is a German surname and placename. Etymologically, it appears to be a habitational name meaning "someone living in a place called Weier, Weiher or Weyer"...

  • Großraming
    Großraming
    Großraming is a municipality in the district of Steyr-Land in Upper Austria, Austria....

  • Losenstein
    Losenstein
    Losenstein is a small village in the south of Upper Austria, Austria. About 1,700 inhabitants call Losenstein their home.It lies in the southernmost quarter of Upper Austria called "Traunviertel". Its spatial dimension from North to South is 8,1 km, from West to East 4,5 km. 45,9 % of its area are...

  • Ternberg
    Ternberg
    Ternberg is a municipality in the district of Steyr-Land in Upper Austria, Austria.- Geographics :Ternberg is part of the upper Austrian region Traunviertel. Its area from North to South is 9,5 km, from West to East 11,7 km....

  • Rosenau
    Rosenau
    Rosenau may refer to various place in Europe:*in Austria:**Rosenau am Hengstpaß, in Upper Austria**a hamlet near Seewalchen am Attersee in Upper Austria**the two boroughs of Rosenau Markt and Rosenau Schloss in the city of Zwettl in Lower Austria...

  • Garsten
    Garsten
    Garsten is a municipality in the district of Steyr-Land in Upper Austria, Austria....

     - St. Ulrich am Waasen
  • Staning
  • Mühlrading
  • St. Pantaleon

Tributaries


The most important inflows are the Palten, the Salza
Salza
Salza is a commune in the Aude département in south-western France....

 and the Steyr.

Transport


A major transit route connecting Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...

 and Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central Europe bordering Italy to the west, the Adriatic Sea to the southwest, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north...

 through Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...

 runs through the Enns valley.
The so-called Eisenstraße runs along the river between Hieflau and Enns, along which iron ore
Iron ore
Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, deep purple, to rusty red. The iron itself is usually found in the form of magnetite , hematite , goethite, limonite or...

 has been transported from the Styrian Erzberg (ore mountain) to the steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process...

 in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately 30 km south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube...

.