Editing Vltava (section)

==Course==
[[File:Vltava, čtvrť Sedlec a PR Podhoří.jpg|thumb|Vltava from [[Bohnice]] viewing point]]
The Vltava originates by a confluence of two rivers, the [[Teplá Vltava]], which is longer, and the [[Studená Vltava]], originating in [[Bavaria]]. From a water management point of view, the Vltava and Teplá Vltava are one river with single numbering of [[River mile|river kilometres]]. The Teplá Vltava originates in the territory of [[Kvilda]] in the [[Bohemian Forest]] at an elevation of {{cvt|1174|m}}, on the slope of the [[Černá hora (Bohemian Forest)|Černá hora]] mountain. Together with the Teplá Vltava, the Vltava is {{convert|431.3|km}} long. Without the Teplá Vltava, the Vltava is {{convert|377.0|km}} long. The river flows north across Bohemia, through [[Český Krumlov]], [[České Budějovice]] and [[Prague]]. It merges with the [[Elbe]] River at [[Mělník]] at an elevation of {{cvt|156|m}}. The height difference from source to mouth is {{convert|1018|m}}.<ref>{{cite web |title=Základní charakteristiky toku Vltava a jeho povodí|url=https://www.dibavod.cz/download.php?id_souboru=2238|publisher=T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute|language=cs|access-date=2024-10-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Základní charakteristiky toku Teplá Vltava a jeho povodí|url=https://www.dibavod.cz/download.php?id_souboru=2236|publisher=T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute|language=cs|access-date=2024-10-22}}</ref>

The Vltava River drains an area of {{convert|28089.9|km2}} in size, over half of Bohemia and about a third of the Czech Republic's entire territory.{{GeoQuelle|DE-BY|GV}} The waters ultimately drain to the North Sea.

As it runs through Prague, the river is crossed by 18 [[bridge]]s (including the [[Charles Bridge]]) and covers {{convert|31|km}} within the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avantgarde-prague.com/about-prague/?utm_medium=redirect&utm_source=direct&utm_campaign=direct |title=About Prague |work=Avantgarde Prague |access-date=11 April 2024 |quote=River Vltava (Moldau in German): It flows from south to north through the city for 31 kilometres, before joining the River Elbe near Prague. Nineteen bridges span the river.}}</ref> The water from the river was used for drinking until 1912 when the [[Vinohrady Water Tower]] ceased pumping operations, and is now a place to view the city.<ref name=stove>{{cite web |url=https://virtualni.praha.eu/veze/index |title=Prague Water Tower of Vinohrady, Hundred Years over the Vltava, virtual tour |work=Prague of the Centuries |date=2024 |access-date=12 April 2024 |language=cs}}</ref> It is, however, the source of drinking water in case of failures of or repairs to the water supply from the Želivka and Kárané sources. The Podolí water processing plant is on standby for such cases with the long section of the river upstream of the Podolí plant under the stricter, second degree of pollution prevention regulations.

Along its course, the river receives many tributaries. The longest tributaries of the Vltava are:<ref>{{cite web |title=Vodní toky|url=https://mapy.chmi.cz/ords/chmi_app/r/fewshlprf/stream-list?|work=Evidence hlásných profilů|publisher=[[Czech Hydrometeorological Institute]]|language=cs|access-date=2024-10-22}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Tributary !! Length (km) !! River km !! Side
|-
| [[Berounka]] || 244.6 || 63.4 || left
|-
| [[Sázava (river)|Sázava]] || 225.9 || 78.3 || right
|-
| [[Lužnice (river)|Lužnice]] || 197.9 || 202.2 || right
|-
| [[Otava (river)|Otava]] || 134.8 || 169.1 || left
|-
| [[Malše]] || 96.0 || 240.0 || right
|-
| [[Mastník (river)|Mastník]] || 49.5 || 104.6 || right
|-
| [[Kocába]] || 47.7 || 82.8 || left
|-
| [[Bakovský potok]] || 44.6 || 13.7 || left
|-
| [[Bezdrevský potok]] || 43.1 || 231.0 || left
|-
| Rokytka || 37.2 || 47.4 || right
|-
| Botič || 33.8 || 55.2 || right
|-
| Polečnice || 32.8 || 281.3 || left
|-
| Křemžský potok || 31.8 || 258.5 || left
|}

From a strict hydrological point of view, it is the Elbe upstream of [[Mělník]] that is a tributary of the Vltava rather than the other way around, owing to the Vltava's longer distance upstream ({{convert|434|km}} against {{convert|294|km}} of the Elbe), greater discharge, and larger [[drainage basin]]; however, since at the confluence point the Elbe flows through the main valley in a straight line, relative to which the Vltava flows at a right angle, the combined river downstream is identified as the Elbe.

{{clear left}}