IKSR - CIPR - ICBR - ICPR
  • DE
  • FR
  • NL
  • EN
  • Print
  • 8-11 Jahre - ans - jaar - years
  • 12-14 Jahre - ans - jaar - years
ImprintData privacy
The Rhine
  • The Rhine
  • Where is the Rhine?
    • Where is the Rhine?
    • Alpenrhein/Bodensee
    • Hochrhein
    • Oberrhein
    • Neckar
    • Main
    • Mittelrhein
    • Mosel-Saar
    • Lower Rhine
    • Delta Rhine
  • Facts about the Rhine
  • Wasserkreislauf
  • Climates
  • Functions
  • Nature
Climate change
  • Climate change
  • What is climate change?
  • Climate change and the Rhine
  • Why is the climate changing?
  • What can you do to help prevent climate change?
Protecting the Rhine
  • Protecting the Rhine
  • What is water quality?
  • Dangers to water quality
  • Testing water
  • What are we going to do?
Living with the Rhine
  • Living with the Rhine
  • The water in the Rhine
  • Less space for water!
  • Climate change
  • Arm yourself against water
  • Living with water
International cooperation
  • International cooperation
  • Who cooperates?
  • Why should we cooperate, and on what subjects?
  • How should we cooperate?
  • Results and the future
Images
  • Images
  • Figures
  • Photos
  • Maps
  • Videos
Quiz

Alpine Rhine/Lake Constance


A mountain stream flows out of Lake Toma in Switzerland, 2,340 metres above sea level. This is the start of the Anterior Rhine. The Posterior Rhine rises (starts) close to the St. Bernard Pass in eastern Switzerland. A pass is a passage through a mountainous area. The Posterior Rhine then goes underground, and the water scrapes away the slate found at this point. This is how the famous Via Mala gorge, hundreds of metres deep, was formed. It is also called the Little Grand Canyon on the Rhine.

The Anterior Rhine and the Posterior Rhine meet at the village of Reichenau in Switzerland. From this point on the river is known as the Alpine Rhine. It empties into Lake Constance at Bregenz in Austria. The water in Lake Constance is of such good quality that it can be used as drinking water.

The start of Lake Constance Rhine at Constance, on the border between Germany and Switzerland, is regarded as the true start of the Rhine. It is from here that the length of the Rhine is measured.

 

Alpenrhein (Foto: www.hydra-institute.com)
[Translate to en:] Alpenrhein
Foto: www.hydra-institute.com
Via Mala-kloof (Foto: Biovit)
[Translate to en:] Via Mala-kloof
Foto: Biovit

International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine

P.O. Box 200253
D - 56002 Koblenz

Kaiserin-Augusta-Anlagen 15
D - 56068 Koblenz
Germany
 
Telephone: 0049-(0)261-94252-0
Fax: 0049-(0)261-94252-52

E-mail: sekretariat@remove-this.iksr.de
Internet: www.iksr.org