List of rivers of Switzerland

Map of Switzerland showing major lakes and rivers

The following is a list of rivers of Switzerland (and tributaries thereof). Included rivers flow either entirely or partly through Switzerland or along its international borders. Swiss rivers belong to five drainage basins, i.e. of the Rhine, the Rhône, the Po, the Danube or the Adige. Of these, only the Rhine and Rhône flow through Switzerland (and also originate there). The waters therefore drain into either the North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea or the Black Sea.

Some of the larger rivers, such as the Aare, Limmat (ZSG) and Rhine (URh), are in part navigable and include recreational boat lines.

Below, rivers are grouped by length, drainage area, orography and in alphabetical order. A list of border rivers is also given.

Rivers by length

Rivers with over 100 km (62 mi) in Switzerland

Rank River Length (km) Length (mi)
1 Rhine 375 233
2 Aare (or Aar) 295 183
3 Rhône 264 164
4 Reuss 158 98
5 Linth and Limmat together[i] 140 87
6 Thur 135 84
7 Saane/La Sarine[ii] 128 80

Rivers by drainage area

Saane/La Sarine at Fribourg

Basins covering more than 1,000 km2 (390 sq mi), counting only the area in Switzerland.

Rank River Length Drainage area
km mi km2 sq mi
1 Rhine 375 233 36,494 14,090
2 Aare (or Aar) 295 183 17,779 6,865
3 Rhône 264 164 10,403 4,017
4 Reuss 158 98 3,425 1,322
5 Orbe and Thielle together 118 73 2,672 1,032
6 Linth and Limmat together 140 87 2,416 933
7 Inn 104 65 2,150 830
8 Saane/La Sarine 128 80 1,892 731
9 Thur 135 84 1,696 655
10 Hinterrhein (Posterior Rhine) 57.3 35.6 1,693 654
11 Ticino 91 57 1,616 624
12 Vorderrhein (Anterior Rhine) 67.5 41.9 1,514 585
13 Doubs 74 46 1,310 510
14 Kander 44 27 1,126 435

Rivers by orography

Further information: Hydrology of Switzerland
The five river basins of Switzerland:
  Rhine with Aar sub-basin
  Rhone
  Po
  Danube
  Adige
High Rhine and Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen
The Aare at Bern
The Birs at Laufen
The Reuss in Bremgarten
Saane in Fribourg
Confluence of the Urnäsch and Sitter
Tamina Gorge near Bad Ragaz
Landwasser with Landwasser Viaduct
Le Doubs in Saint-Ursanne
Confluence of the Rhône and Arve in Geneva
Verzasca river and valley
Rom near Lü
Inn in Engadin

Switzerland is drained into four directions:

Drainage basins

Witenwasserenstock mountain is the triple divide of the drainage basins between the Rhine, Rhône and Po. Lunghin Pass is the triple divide between the Rhine, Danube and Po.

Rivers that flow into other rivers are sorted by the proximity of their points of confluence to the sea (the lower in the list, the more upstream). Some rivers (e.g. Danube) do not flow through Switzerland themselves, but they are mentioned for having Swiss tributaries. They are given in italics. The five drainage basins are highlighted in bold.

  • Rhine (main branch in Hook of Holland, Netherlands)
    • Upper Rhine (begins at the Rhine knee in Basel)
      • Wiese - 57.82 km (35.93 mi) - 454.7 km2 (175.6 sq mi) (in Basel)
      • Birsig - 21 km (13 mi) - 82 km2 (32 sq mi) (in Basel)
    • High Rhine - 375 km (233 mi) - 36,494 km2 (14,090 sq mi)
      • Birs - 73 km (45 mi) - 924 km2 (357 sq mi) (between Basel/Birsfelden)
        • Lützel - 28 km (17 mi) - 7,884 km2 (3,044 sq mi) (between Laufen/Liesberg)
        • Sorne - 31 km (19 mi) - 217.65 km2 (84.04 sq mi) (in Delémont)
        • Raus - 8.8 km (5.5 mi) - 41.54 km2 (16.04 sq mi) (near Moutier)
      • Ergolz - 30 km (19 mi) - 301 km2 (116 sq mi) (between Augst/Kaiseraugst)
      • Möhlinbach - 15 km (9.3 mi) - 373 km2 (144 sq mi) (near Möhlin)
      • Sissle - 18.3 km (11.4 mi) - 128 km2 (49 sq mi) (in Sisseln)
      • Aare (Aar) - 295 km (183 mi) - 17,779 km2 (6,865 sq mi) (in Koblenz)
        • Surb - 18 km (11 mi) - 66.8 km2 (25.8 sq mi) (in Döttingen)
        • Limmat / Linth[iii] - 140 km (87 mi) - 2,416 km2 (933 sq mi) (in Brugg)
          • Reppisch - 27 km (17 mi) - 69.1 km2 (26.7 sq mi) (in Dietikon)
            • Wüeribach - 7.8 km (4.8 mi) - 14.6 km2 (5.6 sq mi) (in Birmensdorf)
          • Sihl - 73 km (45 mi) - 341 km2 (132 sq mi) (in Zurich)
            • Alp - 19.3 km (12.0 mi) - 83.38 km2 (32.19 sq mi) (near Biberbrugg)
            • Minster - 13 km (8.1 mi) - 62.72 km2 (24.22 sq mi) (into Lake Sihl near Euthal)
              • Waag - 7.9 km (4.9 mi) - 23.81 km2 (9.19 sq mi) (near Oberiberg)
          • Küsnachter Dorfbach - 8 km (5.0 mi) - 12 km2 (4.6 sq mi) (into Lower Lake Zurich in Küsnacht)
          • Jona - 18.8 km (11.7 mi) - 78.4 km2 (30.3 sq mi) (into Obersee near Jona)
          • Wägitaler Aa - 14.3 km (8.9 mi) - 90.15 km2 (34.81 sq mi) (into Obersee near Lachen)
          • Seerenbach (into Lake Walen near Amden)
          • Seez - 33 km (21 mi) - 203.73 km2 (78.66 sq mi) (into Lake Walen near Walenstadt)
          • Sernf - 18.9 km (11.7 mi) - 210.14 km2 (81.14 sq mi) (in Schwanden)
        • Reuss - 158 km (98 mi) - 3,425 km2 (1,322 sq mi) (in Brugg)
          • Lorze - 27 km (17 mi) - 298.88 km2 (115.40 sq mi) (near Maschwanden)
          • Kleine Emme - 58 km (36 mi) - 477 km2 (184 sq mi) (near Luzern)
          • Sarner Aa - 10.4 km (6.5 mi) - 336.21 km2 (129.81 sq mi) (into Lake Lucerne near Alpnach)
          • Engelberger Aa - 38 km (24 mi) - 229.07 km2 (88.44 sq mi) (into Lake Lucerne at Buochs)
          • Muota - 33 km (21 mi) - 316.99 km2 (122.39 sq mi) (into Lake Lucerne at Brunnen)
          • Schächen - 18.8 km (11.7 mi) - 108 km2 (42 sq mi) (near Attinghausen)
        • Hallwiler Aa - 39 km (24 mi) - 302.7 km2 (116.9 sq mi) (in Möriken-Wildegg)
        • Suhre/Sure[iv] - 34 km (21 mi) - 368.29 km2 (142.20 sq mi) (near Aarau)
          • Wyna - 32 km (20 mi) - 120.95 km2 (46.70 sq mi) (in Suhr)
        • Wigger - 41 km (25 mi) - 380.29 km2 (146.83 sq mi) (between Rothrist/Aarburg)
        • Emme - 80 km (50 mi) - 983 km2 (380 sq mi) (in Solothurn)
        • Suze - 43 km (27 mi) - 216.27 km2 (83.50 sq mi) (into Lake Biel in Biel/Bienne)
        • Orbe / Thielle[v] - 57 km (35 mi) - 488 km2 (188 sq mi) (into Lake Biel in La Neuveville)
        • Saane/La Sarine - 128 km (80 mi) - 1,892 km2 (731 sq mi) (near Bern)
          • Sense - 36 km (22 mi) - 434 km2 (168 sq mi) (near Laupen)
          • Glâne - 36.9 km (22.9 mi) - 193 km2 (75 sq mi) (near Villars-sur-Glâne)
        • Kander - 44 km (27 mi) - 1,126 km2 (435 sq mi) (into Lake Thun near Thun)
          • Simme - 53 km (33 mi) - 594 km2 (229 sq mi) (in Wimmis)
        • Lütschine (into Lake Brienz near Interlaken)
      • Wutach[vi] - 91.1 km (56.6 mi) - 1,139.3 km2 (439.9 sq mi) (in Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany)
        • Klingengraben - 23.4 km (14.5 mi) - 165.51 km2 (63.90 sq mi) (in Oberlauchringen, Germany)
          • Schwarzbach - 17.5 km (10.9 mi) - 64.056 km2 (24.732 sq mi) (near Lauchringen, Germany)
      • Glatt - 67 km (42 mi) - 416 km2 (161 sq mi) (near Glattfelden)
        • Ustermer Aa - 10.9 km (6.8 mi) - 62.75 km2 (24.23 sq mi) (into Greifensee at Niederuster)
      • Töss - 58 km (36 mi) - 442 km2 (171 sq mi) (in Teufen)
      • Thur - 125 km (78 mi) - 1,724 km2 (666 sq mi) (near Flaach)
        • Murg - 34 km (21 mi) - 213.45 km2 (82.41 sq mi) (near Warth-Weiningen)
        • Sitter - 48.91 km (30.39 mi) - 340 km2 (130 sq mi) (in Bischofszell)
          • Urnäsch - 23.5 km (14.6 mi) - 93.6 km2 (36.1 sq mi) (in near St Gallen Haggen)
      • Durach - 15.2 km (9.4 mi) - 62.9 km2 (24.3 sq mi) (in Schaffhausen)
      • Biber - 30.7 km (19.1 mi) - 168 km2 (65 sq mi) (near Hemishofen)
    • Lake Constance (Obersee, Seerhein, Untersee)
      • Aach - 1.7 km (1.1 mi) - 33.2 km2 (12.8 sq mi) (in Arbon)
    • Alpine Rhine (Alter Rhein, Rheintaler Binnenkanal) - 93.5 km (58.1 mi) - 6,119 km2 (2,363 sq mi)
      • Saar - 10.7 km (6.6 mi) - 24.2 km2 (9.3 sq mi) (in Trübbach)
      • Tamina - 30 km (19 mi) - 155.48 km2 (60.03 sq mi) (in Bad Ragaz)
      • Landquart - 43 km (27 mi) - 618 km2 (239 sq mi) (in Landquart)
      • Plessur - 33 km (21 mi) - 267 km2 (103 sq mi) (in Chur)
        • Rabiosa - 7.9 km (4.9 mi) - 52.6 km2 (20.3 sq mi) (near Meiersboden)
      • Hinterrhein - 57.3 km (35.6 mi) - 1,693 km2 (654 sq mi) (at Reichenau)
        • Albula - 36 km (22 mi) - 950 km2 (370 sq mi) (near Thusis)
          • Gelgia (in Tiefencastel)
          • Landwasser - 30.5 km (19.0 mi) - 293.11 km (182.13 mi) - 950 km2 (370 sq mi) (near Filisur)
            • Dischmabach - 16 km (9.9 mi) - 53.7 km2 (20.7 sq mi) (near Davos)
        • Avers Rhine - 20 km (12 mi) - 261 km2 (101 sq mi) (near Andeer)
      • Vorderrhein - 67.5 km (41.9 mi) - 1,514 km2 (585 sq mi) (at Reichenau)
        • Rabiusa - 32 km (20 mi)
        • Valser Rhine - 30 km (19 mi) - 186 km2 (72 sq mi)
        • Rein da Curnera - 7 km (4.3 mi) - 27 km2 (10 sq mi)
          • Rein da Maighels - 5.4 km (3.4 mi) - 9.07 km2 (3.50 sq mi)
        • Rein da Medel - 25 km (16 mi) - 128 km2 (49 sq mi)
        • Rein da Tuma - 3.5 km (2.2 mi) - 5.6 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
  • Rhône - 264 km (164 mi) - 10,403 km2 (4,017 sq mi) (in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, France)
    • Saône (in Lyon, France)
    • Allondon - 17.9 km (11.1 mi) - 148 km2 (57 sq mi) (in Russin)
    • Arve - 108 km (67 mi) - 1,976 km2 (763 sq mi) (in Geneva)
    • Versoix - 21.8 km (13.5 mi) - 90.7 km2 (35.0 sq mi) (into Lake Geneva in Versoix)
    • Hermance - 14 km (8.7 mi) - 42.5 km2 (16.4 sq mi) (into Lake Geneva in Hermance)
    • Aubonne - 12.2 km (7.6 mi) - 96.3 km2 (37.2 sq mi) (into Lake Geneva near Aubonne)
    • Venoge - 38 km (24 mi) - 238 km2 (92 sq mi) (into Lake Geneva in Saint-Sulpice)
      • Veyron - 23.5 km (14.6 mi) - 81.84 km2 (31.60 sq mi) (near La Sarraz)
    • Trient - 17 km (11 mi) - 164.2 km2 (63.4 sq mi) (near Vernayaz)
    • Drance - 43 km (27 mi) - 678 km2 (262 sq mi) (in Martigny)
    • Sionne - 11 km (6.8 mi) - 27.64 km2 (10.67 sq mi) (in Sion)
    • Navizence - 27.9 km (17.3 mi) - 255.54 km2 (98.66 sq mi) (in Chippis)
    • Lonza (in Gampel)
    • Vispa - 40 km (25 mi) - 787 km2 (304 sq mi) (in Visp)
    • Massa - 7 km (4.3 mi) - 202.63 km2 (78.24 sq mi) (near Bitsch)
  • Po (near Venice, Italy)
  • Adige (near Venice, Italy)
    • Rom - 24.7 km (15.3 mi) - 186 km2 (72 sq mi) (in Glurns, Italy)
  • Danube (in Sulina, Romania)
    • Inn - 104 km (65 mi) - 2,150 km2 (830 sq mi) (in Passau, Germany)
      • Spöl - 42 km (26 mi) - 433.64 km2 (167.43 sq mi) (near Zernez)
      • Flaz - 6.5 km (4.0 mi) - 193.13 km2 (74.57 sq mi) (near Samedan)

Border rivers

International

Between cantons

  • Aare, part of the boundary between the canton of Solothurn with the cantons of Aargau and Bern
  • Alpine Rhine canal, part of the border between the cantons of St. Gallen and Grisons (Graubünden)
  • Biber, part of the boundary between the cantons of Zug and Schwyz
  • Birs, short sections of the boundary between the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Solothurn
  • Engelberger Aa, parts of the boundary between the cantons of Nidwalden and Obwalden
  • High Rhine, most of the boundary between the canton of Schaffhausen with the cantons of Zurich and Thurgau
  • Jona, short section of the boundary between the cantons of St. Gallen and Zurich
  • Linth canal, part of the border between the canton of St. Gallen with the cantons of Glarus and Schwyz
  • Reuss, boundary between the cantons of Aargau and Zug, part of the boundary between the cantons of Aargau and Zurich
  • Sitter, part of the boundary between the cantons of Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden
  • Thielle canal (Zihlkanal), border between the cantons of Bern and Neuchâtel
  • Thur, short section of the border between the cantons of Thurgau and Zurich

Alphabetical list

A–E

  • Aach
  • Aare (Aar)
  • Albula
  • Allaine
  • Allondon
  • Alp
  • Alpine Rhine
  • Arve
  • Aubonne
  • Avers Rhine
  • Biber (Alp)
  • Biber (Rhine)
  • Birs
  • Birsig
  • Breggia
  • Brenno
  • Broye
  • Cassarate
  • Dischmabach
  • Diveria
  • Doubs
  • Drance
  • Durach
  • Emme
  • Engelberger Aa
  • Ergolz

F–K

L–O

  • Landquart
  • Landwasser
  • Limmat
  • Linth
  • Lonza
  • Lorze
  • Lütschine
  • Lützel
  • Maggia
  • Mara
  • Massa
  • Melezzo Orientale
  • Mera
  • Minster
  • Moesa
  • Möhlinbach
  • Muota
  • Murg
  • Navizence
  • Orbe

P–S

  • Plessur
  • Poschiavino
  • Rabiosa
  • Rabiusa
  • Raus
  • Reppisch
  • Rein da Curnera
  • Rein da Maighels
  • Rein da Medel
  • Rein da Tuma
  • Reuss
  • Rhine
  • Rhône
  • Rom
  • Saane/Sarine
  • Saar
  • Sarner Aa
  • Schächen
  • Schwarzbach
  • Seerenbach
  • Seerhein
  • Seez
  • Sense
  • Sernf
  • Sihl
  • Simme
  • Sionne
  • Sissle
  • Sitter
  • Sorne
  • Spöl
  • Suhre (Sure)
  • Surb
  • Suze

T–Z

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The Linth is the main tributary of Lake Zurich and the Limmat the lake's outflow.
  2. ^ The river is called Sarine in French and Saane in German.
  3. ^ Prior to the regulation of the Linth (1807–1823), the river did not flow into Lake Walen but joined the River Maag, the outflow of Lake Walen, west of the lake.
  4. ^ The river is called Sure in the Luzern and Suhre in Aargau.
  5. ^ The Thielle begins at the confluence of the rivers Orbe and Talent.
  6. ^ The Wutach flows mostly through Germany, but for about 6 km (3.7 mi) it forms the Germany–Switzerland border.

References

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