Editing Ruhr (river)

{{Short description|River in Germany}}
{{Distinguish|text=the river [[Roer]] in western [[North Rhine-Westphalia]], [[Belgium]], and the [[Netherlands]]}}
__NOTOC__
{{Infobox river
| name              = Ruhr
| image             = River-ruhr-essen-kettwig.jpeg
| image_caption     = The Ruhr in [[Essen-Kettwig]]
| mapframe          = yes
| mapframe-zoom     = 7
| source1_location  = [[Kahler Asten]] 
| mouth_location    = [[Rhine]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|51|27|3|N|6|43|22|E|type:river_region:DE-NW|display=inline,title}}
| progression       = {{RRhine}}
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[Germany]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[States of Germany|State]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[North Rhine-Westphalia]]
| length            = {{convert|219.2|km|abbr=on}}{{GeoQuelle|DE-NW|GSK3C}}
| source1_elevation = {{convert|870|m|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_avg    = {{convert|79|m3/s|abbr=on}}
| basin_size        = {{convert|4,485|km2|abbr=on}}{{GeoQuelle|DE-NW|GSK3C}}
| tributaries_left  = [[Lenne]], [[Volme]]
| tributaries_right = [[Möhne]]
| extra             = 
}}

The '''Ruhr''' ({{IPA|de|ʁuːɐ̯|-|De-Ruhr.ogg}}) is a [[river]] in western [[Germany]] ([[North Rhine-Westphalia]]), a right tributary (east-side) of the [[Rhine]].

==Description and history==
[[Image:Ruhr-flut.JPG|thumb|left|The Ruhr valley near [[Bochum]] during a flood]]

The source of the Ruhr is near the town of [[Winterberg]] in the mountainous [[Sauerland]] region, at an elevation of approximately {{convert|670|m|ft}}. It flows into the lower [[Rhine]] at an elevation of only {{convert|17|m|ft}} in the municipal area of [[Duisburg]]. Its total length is {{convert|219|km|mi|abbr=on}}, its average discharge is {{convert|79|m3/s}} at [[Mülheim]] near its mouth. Thus, its discharge is, for example, comparable to that of the river [[Ems (river)|Ems]] in Northern Germany or the [[River Thames]] in the [[United Kingdom]].

The Ruhr first passes the towns of [[Meschede]], [[Arnsberg]], [[Wickede]], [[Fröndenberg]], [[Holzwickede]], [[Iserlohn]], and [[Schwerte]]. Then the river marks the southern limit of the [[Ruhr area]], passing [[Hagen]], [[Dortmund]], [[Herdecke]], [[Wetter (Ruhr)|Wetter]], [[Witten, Germany|Witten]], [[Bochum]], [[Hattingen]], [[Essen]], [[Mülheim]], and [[Duisburg]].

The [[Ruhr area]] was Germany's primary industrial area during the early- to mid-20th century. Most factories were located there. The [[occupation of the Ruhr]] from 1923 to 1924 by French forces, due to the [[Weimar Republic]]'s failure to continue paying reparations from [[World War I]], provoked [[passive resistance]], which saw production in the factories grind to a halt. As a result, the German [[hyperinflation]] crisis grew even worse.

During [[World War II]], two of the dams on the Ruhr, the [[Möhne Dam]] and the [[Sorpe Dam]] were targets for [[Operation Chastise]], in which special "bouncing bombs" were developed to take out the dams and flood the valley, with the hope of seriously affecting the German industries there. The story was told in a 1951 [[The Dam Busters (book)|book]] and the popular 1955 film made from it, ''[[The Dam Busters (film)|The Dam Busters]]''.

==Lakes==
There are five Ruhr reservoirs on the river, often used for leisure activities.

* [[Hengsteysee]] between Dortmund and Hagen, surface area: 1.36&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, height of the [[weir]] 4.5&nbsp;m
* [[Harkortsee]] between [[Herdecke]] and Wetter; surface area: 1.37&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, height of the weir 7.8&nbsp;m
* [[Kemnader See]] between Witten and Bochum; surface area: 1.25&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, height of the weir 2&nbsp;m
* [[Baldeneysee]] in [[Essen-Werden]]; surface area: 2.64&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, height of the weir 8.5&nbsp;m
* Kettwiger See in [[Essen-Kettwig]]; surface area: 0.55&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, height of the weir 6&nbsp;m

== Environment ==
The Ruhr was extensively used by adjacent factories for cooling-water and was heavily contaminated by industrial discharge in the 19th and 20th century, with significant negative impact. Large sections of the river were straightened, changing the habitat of the river and it's shore significantly. This led to a decline in various fish species, particularly the brook trout and related salmonids. 

The establishment of dozens of smaller and larger dams largely prevented migratory species like salmon and the [[European eel]] from ascending or descending the river as part of their lifecycle. Salmon have not been observed in the river in decades. Stocks of the European eel have dwindled. Both eel and brook trout stocks rely heavily on release of juveniles as part of conservation efforts.

Since 2013, the district government of [[Arnsberg]], funded partially by grants of the European Union,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Renaturierung der Ruhr |url=https://www.bra.nrw.de/umwelt-gesundheit-arbeitsschutz/umwelt/wasserwirtschaft-und-gewaesserschutz/fluesse-und-auen/renaturierung-der-ruhr |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=www.bra.nrw.de |language=de}}</ref> is investing heavily into renaturation efforts to restore the natural river & habitat surrounding it. This includes various aspects, most significantly the removal or addition of bypasses to barriers such as dams along the whole river, to re-enable natural fish migration. Additionally, the river bed is widened substantially in sections, reducing the depth of the river and slowing down the flow of water, to enable natural reproduction of native fish, insects, etc. 

Two sections of the renaturation have been completed (in Wickede & Witten)<ref name=":0" /> with two more projects currently underway. 18 additional projects are still in planning stages and as of now, the river is not fully passable for migratory fish.

==Tributaries==
The main tributaries of the Ruhr are (from source to mouth):

* Left: Berkelbach, [[Voßmecke]], [[Neger (Ruhr)|Neger]], [[Elpe]], [[Valme]], [[Nierbach]], [[Henne (river)|Henne]], [[Kelbke]], [[Wenne]], [[Mühlenbach (Ruhr)|Mühlenbach]], [[Röhr (river)|Röhr]], [[Bachumer Bach]], [[Haßbach (Ruhr)|Haßbach]], Scheebach, [[Wimberbach]], [[Hönne]], [[Abbabach]], [[Baarbach]], [[Elsebach]], [[Wannebach (Ruhr, Ergste)|Wannebach (Ergste)]], [[Lenne]], [[Volme]], [[Sprockhöveler Bach]], [[Deilbach]], [[Oefter Bach]], [[Rinderbach (Ruhr)|Rinderbach]]
* Right: [[Hillebach]], [[Gierskoppbach]], [[Gebke (Meschede)]], [[Kleine Gebke]], [[Gebke (Wennemen)]], [[Wanne (Ruhr)|Wanne]], [[Möhne]], [[Wannebach (Ruhr, Westhofen)|Wannebach (Westhofen)]], [[Borbach (Ruhr)|Borbach]], [[Wannenbach]], Hörsterholzer Bach, [[Knöselsbach]], [[Rumbach (Ruhr)|Rumbach]]

[[Image:Verlaufskarte Ruhr2.png|center|thumb|500px|The drainage basin of the Ruhr]]

==See also==
* Nearby rivers: [[Rhine]], [[Lippe (river)|Lippe]], [[Emscher]]
* [[Occupation of the Ruhr]] (1923–1924)
* [[Ruhr]] (area)
* [[Ruhrpolen]]: the Poles of the Ruhr

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons|Ruhr}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Ruhr|volume=23|page=823}}

{{Rhine Tributaries}}
{{Rivers of Germany}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ruhr basin| ]]
[[Category:Rivers of Germany]]
[[Category:Rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia]]