Desná
(german: Tess) is a river situated in Olomouc region of Czech Republic, left tributary of the
Morava. It is 43.4 km long, and its basin area is 338 km
2.
Character
The Desná river originates at the confluence of Hučivá Desná and Divoká Desná in
Kouty nad Desnou, the village situated in deep valley of
High Ash Mountains.
The Desná then goes southwest through a valley toward the town of
Šumperk
Šumperk (; german: Mährisch Schönberg) is a town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 26,000 inhabitants. It is the centre of the north of Moravia and, due to its location, is known as "The Gate to the Jeseníky mountains. ...
.
After approximately 43.4 km, the Desná flows into the
Morava river near
Postřelmov village. The mean annual discharge at its mouth is 4.48 m³/s
About 50% of the river is situated in urban area of
Kouty nad Desnou,
Loučná nad Desnou
Loučná nad Desnou (until 1948 Vízmberk; german: Wiesenberg) is a municipality and village in Šumperk District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,500 inhabitants.
Administrative parts
Villages of Filipová, Kociánov, K ...
,
Velké Losiny
Velké Losiny (german: Groß Ullersdorf) is a spa municipality and village in Šumperk District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 2,500 inhabitants.
Administrative parts
Villages of Bukovice, Ludvíkov, Maršíkov and Žár ...
,
Petrov nad Desnou
Petrov nad Desnou (until 1955 Petrovice nad Desnou; german: Petersdorf an der Tess) is a municipality and village in Šumperk District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,200 inhabitants.
Administrative parts
The village ...
,
Rapotín
Rapotín (german: Reitendorf) is a municipality and village in Šumperk District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 3,300 inhabitants.
Geography
Rapotín is located about northeast of Šumperk and north of Olomouc. It lies ...
,
Vikýřovice,
Šumperk
Šumperk (; german: Mährisch Schönberg) is a town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 26,000 inhabitants. It is the centre of the north of Moravia and, due to its location, is known as "The Gate to the Jeseníky mountains. ...
and
Sudkov, this parts of the river are strongly regulated. Riverbanks are often strengthened by walls; river stream is free of obstacles.
Natural character has been preserved in a part between
Bludov and
Sudkov, where the river has
meander
A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex bank ...
character.
Meander
A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank ( cut bank) and deposits sediments on an inner, convex bank ...
s are inhabited by
brown trout
The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
s,
graylings,
european bullhead
The European bullhead (''Cottus gobio'') is a freshwater fish that is widely distributed in Europe, mainly in rivers. It is a member of the family Cottidae, a type of sculpin. It is also known as the miller's thumb, freshwater sculpin, common bu ...
s and
eurasian beaver
The Eurasian beaver (''Castor fiber'') or European beaver is a beaver species that was once widespread in Eurasia, but was hunted to near-extinction for both its fur and castoreum. At the turn of the 20th century, only about 1,200 beavers survi ...
s.
Vegetation consists of
stinging nettle
''Urtica dioica'', often known as common nettle, burn nettle, stinging nettle (although not all plants of this species sting) or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Or ...
,
black alder Black alder is a common name for several plants and may refer to:
*''Alnus glutinosa
''Alnus glutinosa'', the common alder, black alder, European alder, European black alder, or just alder, is a species of tree in the family Betulaceae, nativ ...
,
common hop
''Humulus lupulus'', the common hop or hops, is a species of flowering plant in the hemp family Cannabinaceae, native to Europe, western Asia and North America. It is a perennial, herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spr ...
,
himalayan balsam
''Impatiens glandulifera'', Himalayan balsam, is a large annual plant native to the Himalayas. Via human introduction it is now present across much of the Northern Hemisphere and is considered an invasive species in many areas. Uprooting or cutt ...
,
common knotweed,
common knotgrass and
giant hogweed
''Heracleum mantegazzianum'', commonly known as giant hogweed, is a monocarpic perennial herbaceous plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. ''H. mantegazzianum'' is also known as cartwheel-flower, giant cow parsley, giant cow parsnip, or hogsb ...
.
Ponds
The Desná feeds two major ponds.
Benátky
Benátky pond (literally: Venice), situated in Šumperk, is used for fishing, recreation and as a source of water for local swimming pool. Its area is 1,7ha.
Sudkovský rybník
Area of the Sudkovský rybník, which is situated in
Sudkov, is 8 ha. First mention of the pond comes from 1480, when it was bought by The House of Tunkl who enlarged the pond and used them for fishery. In 1867, the pond was bought by Ignác Seidl, the entrepreneur from
Šumperk
Šumperk (; german: Mährisch Schönberg) is a town in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 26,000 inhabitants. It is the centre of the north of Moravia and, due to its location, is known as "The Gate to the Jeseníky mountains. ...
, who used it as a source of water for his nearby flax mill. After flax mill bankruptcy in 1990’s the pond is solely used for fishing.
1997 floods
Devastating flood struck the basin of Desná in 1997. Railway situated along the river was totally destroyed and its state-owned operator decided to cancel whole rail line. This was met with resistance of local citizens and the railway was bought and reconstructed by local municipalities, which grouped themselves into “Svazek obcí údolí Desné” (The Union of Municipalities from the Valley of Desná). Recently, the rail line is operated by private carrier.
Headwater creeks
Hučivá Desná
Hučivá Desná (literally Humming Desná) originates in a locality called Japonská Zahrada, 1275 meters above sea level. The length is 7 kilometers and mouth is situated 550 meters above sea level - the stream is very steep. It makes one of the most valuable parts of
The High Ash Mountains Protected Landscape Area.
Lower reaches, flowing through the village of
Kouty nad Desnou, is regulated and banks are strengthened by stone walls.
In 1921, the locality of Hučivá Desná was hit by torrential rain. Mud from a slope of Červené hora peak with an area of 16 ha,
flowed into the valley of Hučivá Desná.
About 50 000 m3 of mud created a dam. The dam later ruptured and enormous amount of water devastated whole Desná valley. As a result, a construction of man-made dam as a protection against floods was debated. However, this plan has not been realized and is not discussed at all now.
Divoká Desná
Divoká Desná (literally Wild Desná) originates from a north slope of Kamzičník peak, 1310 meters above sea level. The length is 12 kilometers and the mean annual discharge at its mouth is 1.5 m³/s.
Pumped storage plant is situated on the creek. A dam called
Dlouhé stráně – dolní (literally Long Hillsides – lower) was constructed. The lake has a volume of 3 405 000 m3 and occupies area of 11,2 hectares. Water from the lake is pumped to the Dlouhé stráně –horní (literally Long Hillsides – upper), situated on the top of Dlouhé stráně peak, 1350 meters above sea level.
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is an adventure sport where a river is navigated in a decked kayak. Whitewater kayaking includes several styles. River running; where the paddler follows a river and paddles rapids as they travel. Creeking usually involving s ...
or
canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
is practiced in a part below the dam.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Desna (Morava)
Rivers of the Olomouc Region
Šumperk District