Other name(s) Swalm Progression Meuse→ North Sea Length 46 km Source North Rhine-Westphalia Country Germany | River mouth Meuse near Swalmen Basin size ±275 km (106 sq mi) Source elevation 85 m Mouth Meuse | |
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Main source near Wegberg
±85 m (279 ft) | ||
The Schwalm (German) or Swalm (Dutch), is a small river in Germany and the Netherlands, tributary to the river Meuse. Its source is near Wegberg, in the district Heinsberg, south-west of Mönchengladbach, in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). The Schwalm flows through Wegberg and Brüggen before flowing into the Meuse across the border with the Netherlands, in Swalmen. Its total length is 46 km.
Contents
Map of Schwalm, Germany
CourseEdit
The source of the Schwalm is in a wetland area south of the German village of Wegberg-Tüschenbroich at an elevation of about 85 m above NN. From there the river flows mainly through the Maas-Schwalm-Nette Nature Park, its riverbed running between the rivers Rur, Nette and Niers.
Of its total length from this source to its mouth on the Meuse, near the village of Swalmen at about 12 m above NN, 13 kilometres of the river run through Dutch territory.
Parts of the river which, for example, run past the villages of Wegberg, Niederkrüchten, Schwalmtal, Brüggen-Born, Brüggen and Swalmen, form natural meanders.
The catchment area of the Schwalm is about 275 square kilometres, of which around 27 square kilometres lie in the Netherlands.
TributariesEdit
Flora and faunaEdit
The carr and heath/bog areas along the Schwalm provide a diverse habitat for fauna and flora. Frogs, dragonflies, damselflies, bluethroat, kingfisher and golden oriole are to be found as are water crowfoot, bog myrtle and other rare plants. brown trout, barbel and chub are at home in the river; along the river banks are also various members of the eter water rat family.