Lech (river)


The Lech is a river in Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube in length with a drainage basin of.
Its source is located in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, where the river rises from lake Formarinsee in the Alps at an altitude of. It flows in a north-north-easterly direction and crosses the German border, forming the Lechfall, a waterfall; afterwards the river enters a narrow gorge. Leaving the Alps, it enters the plains of the Allgäu at Füssen at an elevation of in the German state of Bavaria, where it used to be the location of the boundary with Swabia. The river runs through the city of Füssen and through the Forggensee, a man-made lake which is drained in winter. Here, it forms rapids and a waterfall.
The river flows further northwards through a region called the Lechrain, and passes the cities of Schongau, Landsberg, Augsburg and Rain before entering the Danube just below Donauwörth at an elevation of. It is not navigable, owing to its torrential character and the gravel beds which choke its channel. There are extensive views of the Lech valley from Neuschwanstein Castle, near Füssen.

Etymology

Inscriptions from 8/7 B. C. prove that the river name is first mentioned in the Celtic tribe name Licates. The river itself is called Likios or Likias in the 2nd century. Around the year 570 the name Licca is found in records. In the 8th century, names such as Lecha and Lech appeared. The term Licus is still used in 1059.
The name stands in analogy to the Welsh word llech and the Breton word lec'h. In this context, the meaning of the word "Lech" is explained as "the stony".

History

On more than one occasion, historic events have been decided on the banks of this river.
Currently, there are 33 hydroelectric power plants on the Lech. The power plants are listed beginning at the headwaters:
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| Lechstaustufe 8a – Kinsau || 9.2 || 1992 ||
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