Alb (Northern Black Forest)
Encyclopedia
The Alb is a river in the northern region of the Black Forest
in Germany. It is a tributary of the Rhine, and flows through the cities of Karlsruhe
, Ettlingen
and Bad Herrenalb
.
. From its source it flows north through Bad Herrenalb, Frauenalb and Marxzell
. There it takes the waters of the Maisenbach creek as a right tributary. The Moosalb river is a left tributary at Fischweier on the border between the municipalities of Marxzell and Karlsbad
. Near Busenbach the Alb turns to the northwest.
Out of Ettlingen
, the river Alb leaves the Black Forest and reaches the Upper Rhine Plain
. After flowing through Ettlingen it turns north again.
The river passes the Karlsruhe city district of Rüppurr, flows under the Federal Road no. 10 and then follows this highway to the northwest. Afterwards the Alb flows through the so called Günther Klotz Facilities in the southern part of Karlsruhe – partially being the district border between Bulach and Beiertheim – and thereby forms the core of a popular local recreation area. The Karlsruhe district of Daxlanden is then passed through in a great loop and the river reaches the Appenmühle barrage
where the Karlsruhe city works operate a hydroelectric
power station since the year 2000. After that the Alb flows around the ports at the river Rhine in Mühlburg
. In Knielingen, the river turns north-northeast, approximately parallelly to the Rhine, and flows through the MiRO oil refinery
in a canal.
Eventually the Alb reaches the floodplains of the Rhine at Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
and discharges into the Rhine. Shortly before emptying into the Rhine, it is joined to the right side by the relief canal of the river Pfinz
.
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
in Germany. It is a tributary of the Rhine, and flows through the cities of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Ettlingen
Ettlingen
Ettlingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about south of the city of Karlsruhe. Ettlingen is the second largest town in the district of Karlsruhe, after Bruchsal.-Geography:...
and Bad Herrenalb
Bad Herrenalb
Bad Herrenalb is a municipality in the district of Calw, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the northern Black Forest, 15 km east of Baden-Baden, and 22 km southwest of Pforzheim....
.
Geography
The river Alb springs about 7 km away from Bad HerrenalbBad Herrenalb
Bad Herrenalb is a municipality in the district of Calw, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the northern Black Forest, 15 km east of Baden-Baden, and 22 km southwest of Pforzheim....
. From its source it flows north through Bad Herrenalb, Frauenalb and Marxzell
Marxzell
Marxzell is a municipality in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg in Germany.-Geography:Marxzell is located on the Alb and on the heights of the North Black Forest ....
. There it takes the waters of the Maisenbach creek as a right tributary. The Moosalb river is a left tributary at Fischweier on the border between the municipalities of Marxzell and Karlsbad
Karlsbad (Baden)
Karlsbad is an administrative area in the district of Karlsruhe, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the northern Black Forest, 13 km southeast of Karlsruhe, and 15 km west of Pforzheim. The largest town in Karlsbad is Langensteinbach, where its administration offices are...
. Near Busenbach the Alb turns to the northwest.
Out of Ettlingen
Ettlingen
Ettlingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about south of the city of Karlsruhe. Ettlingen is the second largest town in the district of Karlsruhe, after Bruchsal.-Geography:...
, the river Alb leaves the Black Forest and reaches the Upper Rhine Plain
Upper Rhine Plain
The Upper Rhine Plain, Rhine Rift Valley or Upper Rhine Graben is a major rift, straddling the border between France and Germany. It forms part of the European Cenozoic Rift System, which extends across central Europe...
. After flowing through Ettlingen it turns north again.
The river passes the Karlsruhe city district of Rüppurr, flows under the Federal Road no. 10 and then follows this highway to the northwest. Afterwards the Alb flows through the so called Günther Klotz Facilities in the southern part of Karlsruhe – partially being the district border between Bulach and Beiertheim – and thereby forms the core of a popular local recreation area. The Karlsruhe district of Daxlanden is then passed through in a great loop and the river reaches the Appenmühle barrage
Barrage (dam)
A barrage is a type of dam which consists of a line of large gates that can be opened or closed to control the amount of water passing the dam. The gates are set between flanking piers which are responsible for supporting the water load...
where the Karlsruhe city works operate a hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
power station since the year 2000. After that the Alb flows around the ports at the river Rhine in Mühlburg
Mühlburg
Mühlburg, formerly a town on its own right, is a borough located in the West of Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The name Mühlburg could be translated as Mill-castle and refers to a water mill and a water castle located at the site where a Roman road once crossed the small river...
. In Knielingen, the river turns north-northeast, approximately parallelly to the Rhine, and flows through the MiRO oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
in a canal.
Eventually the Alb reaches the floodplains of the Rhine at Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen/BW is a town of about 15000 inhabitants located in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Federal Republic of Germany. It lies about 12 km north of Karlsruhe and is the site of the northern campus of a research centre Karlsruhe Institute of Technology...
and discharges into the Rhine. Shortly before emptying into the Rhine, it is joined to the right side by the relief canal of the river Pfinz
Pfinz
The Pfinz is a right-side tributary of the Rhine in Baden-Württemberg. Its origin is located at the northern edge of the Black Forest near the Straubenhardt borough of Pfinzweiler. Near Durlach it enters the Upper Rhine Plain and continues, splitting into several beds and canals, in northwesterly...
.