Murg
Encyclopedia
The Murg is a river and right tributary of the Rhine in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
. The main source river is the Rechtmurg that rises on the Schliffkopf hill at an elevation of 875 metres (2,871 ft). One the other many tributaries is called Murgursprung ("Source of the Murg"), but the tributary watercourses have lengths that vary with rainfall. The Rotmurg also has many tributaries, the most important of which rises on the Ruhestein hill near Baiersbronn. The length figure of 79.267 kilometres (49.254 mi) given by the Ministry of the Environment for Baden-Württemberg should, as a result, be taken as an approximate figure.
, then north through Forbach
, Gernsbach
and Gaggenau
. It then turns northwest through Rastatt and reaches the Rhine at kilometre 344.5 at the community of Steinmauern
.
, the Murg Valley in the west of the Northern Black Forest, then through the Upper Rhine Plain
, primarily north and northwest. Its drainage basin
covers 617 square kilometres (238 sq mi).
.
, where it was dried and combined into bigger rafts. From Steinmauern the larger rafts were floated down to Mannheim
and onward to the Netherlands
.
and the Black Forest Valley Highway (Bundesstraße 462) follow the Murg Valley. Both are amongst the most notable transportation routes in Germany for civil engineering and natural beauty.
Source
The river has numerous tributaries and is known as the Murg only from the point of confluence of the rivers Rechtmurg ("right Murg") and Rotmurg ("red Murg") in the community of Obertal, a part (Ortsteil) of BaiersbronnBaiersbronn
Baiersbronn is a municipality in the district of Freudenstadt in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated in the Black Forest on the Murg river.Administratively, Baiersbronn consists of the following nine villages:* Baiersbronn* Friedrichstal...
. The main source river is the Rechtmurg that rises on the Schliffkopf hill at an elevation of 875 metres (2,871 ft). One the other many tributaries is called Murgursprung ("Source of the Murg"), but the tributary watercourses have lengths that vary with rainfall. The Rotmurg also has many tributaries, the most important of which rises on the Ruhestein hill near Baiersbronn. The length figure of 79.267 kilometres (49.254 mi) given by the Ministry of the Environment for Baden-Württemberg should, as a result, be taken as an approximate figure.
Course
From the Rotmurg and Rechtmurg confluence, the Murg flows east to BaiersbronnBaiersbronn
Baiersbronn is a municipality in the district of Freudenstadt in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated in the Black Forest on the Murg river.Administratively, Baiersbronn consists of the following nine villages:* Baiersbronn* Friedrichstal...
, then north through Forbach
Forbach (Baden)
Forbach is a village in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It lies in the district of Rastatt. It is located in the Murg river valley, in the northern part of the Schwarzwald mountains. Forbach is further broken down into the following districts: Langenbrand, Bermersbach, Gausbach, Hundsbach, Herrenwies,...
, Gernsbach
Gernsbach
Gernsbach is a town in the district of Rastatt, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the river Murg, east of Baden-Baden in the Black Forest. Twin towns are Baccarat in France and Pergola, Marche in Italy....
and Gaggenau
Gaggenau
Gaggenau is a town in the district of Rastatt, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located some 8 km northeast of Baden-Baden.- Geography :...
. It then turns northwest through Rastatt and reaches the Rhine at kilometre 344.5 at the community of Steinmauern
Steinmauern
Steinmauern is a town in the district of Rastatt in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
.
Watershed
The Murg flows through one of the largest valleys of the Black ForestBlack 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 ....
, the Murg Valley in the west of the Northern Black Forest, then through 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...
, primarily north and northwest. Its drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
covers 617 square kilometres (238 sq mi).
River modifications
The mouth of the Murg was shifted 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) northwest when the course of the Rhine was straightened in the 19th century by engineer Johann Gottfried TullaJohann Gottfried Tulla
Johann Gottfried Tulla was a German engineer, who in the nineteenth century accomplished the straightening of the Rhine, improving navigation and alleviating the effects of flooding. His measures gave the upper Rhine a completely new appearance...
.
History
The Murg historically was important for timber rafting. Wood was rafted first as far as SteinmauernSteinmauern
Steinmauern is a town in the district of Rastatt in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
, where it was dried and combined into bigger rafts. From Steinmauern the larger rafts were floated down to Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
and onward to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Transport
The Murg Valley RailwayMurg Valley Railway
The Murg Valley Railway is a 58 kilometre long railway line in the northern part of the Black Forest in Germany, that links Rastatt and Freudenstadt. It was opened in stages from 1868 to 1928 being built outwards from both Rastatt and Freudenstadt. The route through the narrow Murg Valley required...
and the Black Forest Valley Highway (Bundesstraße 462) follow the Murg Valley. Both are amongst the most notable transportation routes in Germany for civil engineering and natural beauty.