| Ostravice | |
|---|---|
 The Ostravice in Ostrava | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Region | Moravian-Silesian |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Bílá Ostravice |
| • location | Bílá,Hostýn-Vsetín Mountains |
| • elevation | 751 m (2,464 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Oder |
• coordinates | 49°52′10″N18°16′50″E / 49.86944°N 18.28056°E /49.86944; 18.28056 |
• elevation | 199 m (653 ft) |
| Length | 64.7 km (40.2 mi) |
| Basin size | 826.7 km2 (319.2 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 15.4 m3/s (540 cu ft/s) near estuary |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Oder→Baltic Sea |
TheOstravice (Polish:Ostrawica,German:Ostrawitza) is ariver in theCzech Republic, a righttributary of theOder River. It flows through theMoravian-Silesian Region. It is formed by the confluence of the Bílá Ostravice and Černá Ostravice streams. Together with the Bílá Ostravice, which is its main source, the Ostravice is 64.7 km (40.2 mi) long. Without the Bílá Ostravice, it is 54.8 km (34.1 mi) long.
The name is derived from the Czech wordostrá (literally 'sharp', but here figuratively meaning 'fast flowing'). The river was initially called Ostrá. The city ofOstrava was named after the river.[1]
The sources of the river are called Bílá Ostravice ('white Ostravice') and Černá Ostravice ('black Ostravice'). The colours in the names of the rivers most often appeared according to the nature of the river bed (white = stony river bed, black = muddy river bed).[2]
From a water management point of view, the Ostravice and Bílá Ostravice are two different rivers with separate numbering ofriver kilometres. In a broader point of view, the Ostravice (as Bílá Ostravice) originates in the territory ofBílá on the border between theHostýn-Vsetín Mountains andMoravian-Silesian Beskids at an elevation of 751 m (2,464 ft) and flows toOstrava, where it enters the Oder River at an elevation of 199 m (653 ft). It is 64.7 km (40.2 mi) long. Itsdrainage basin has an area of 826.7 km2 (319.2 sq mi). The name Ostravice is used from the confluence of the Bílá Ostravice with the Černá Ostravice on the municipal border of Bílá and from this point to the confluence with the Oder, the river is 54.8 km (34.1 mi) long.[3]
The sources and longest tributaries of the Ostravice are:[4]
| Tributary | Length (km) | River km | Side |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lučina | 38.6 | 4.5 | right |
| Morávka | 29.6 | 24.9 | right |
| Olešná | 21.5 | 15.2 | left |
| Čeladenka | 17.3 | 37.1 | left |
| Bílá Ostravice | 9.9 | 54.8 | – |
| Černá Ostravice | 9.4 | 54.8 | right |
The largest settlement on the river is the city ofOstrava. The river flows through the municipal territories ofBílá,Staré Hamry,Ostravice,Frýdlant nad Ostravicí,Pržno,Baška,Staré Město,Frýdek-Místek,Sviadnov,Žabeň,Paskov,Řepiště,Vratimov and Ostrava.
In terms of natural regions, the river flows through theMoravian-Silesian Beskids,Moravian-Silesian Foothills andOstrava Basin. The Bílá Ostravice springs in the area of theHostýn-Vsetín Mountains, but immediately leaves this region.
There are 598 bodies of water in the basin area.[3] The largest of them is theŠance Reservoir with an area of 306 ha (760 acres), built on the Ostravice. It was built in 1964–1969 and its primary purpose is to supply Ostrava and its surroundings with drinking water and protect the area behind the reservoir against floods.[5]
Common species of fish in the river aretrout,grayling andcommon barbel. Among the protected animal species are thecommon minnow,burbot,European bullhead,alpine bullhead andbrook lamprey. The river is a nesting place for thecommon kingfisher. TheEurasian otter rarely occurs on the middle course of the river.[6]
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The Ostravice partly formed the border between historical lands ofMoravia (left bank) andCieszyn Silesia (right bank). It was first agreed as such in 1261 by a special treaty between DukeWładysław Opolski and KingOttokar II. Later it was confirmed on 2 August 1297 between DukeMieszko I andDětřich, bishop of Olomouc.[7] It lost importance as a state border in 1327, when theDuchy of Teschen became afee of theKingdom of Bohemia.[1]
Before the construction of reservoirs in the basin, the Ostravice was one of the most fluctuating rivers in the Czech Republic in terms of flow, and its high peak flows in combination with the relief were the cause of catastrophic floods. Among the worst floods were those in 1902 and 1903, and after them came a period of gradual flow regulation, culminating in the construction of theŠance Reservoir on the Ostravice,Žermanice Reservoir on the Lučina,Morávka Reservoir on the Morávka and Olešná Reservoir onn the Olešná.[6]
The Ostravice is suitable forriver tourism only when water is released from Šance Reservoir, which is once or twice a year. About 7 km (4.3 mi) of the river is navigable.[6]
Tributaries of theOder | ||
|---|---|---|
| Main tributaries of the left bank |  | |
| Main tributaries of the right bank | ||
| Distributary | ||
| Cities and towns | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
