The Elde () is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...

in northern

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

(

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV; ; nds, Mäkelborg-Vörpommern), also known by its anglicized name Mecklenburg–Western Pomerania, is a state in the north-east of Germany. Of the country's sixteen states, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranks 14th in po ...

and a few km in

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...

), a right

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

of the Elbe. Its total length is . The Elde originates near Altenhof, south of

Malchow Malchow () is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (district), Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. Geography It is situated on the river Elde, 25,5 km we ...

. It first flows southeast towards the southern end of Lake Müritz, which it enters at Vipperow. It flows out of the Müritz at its northern end, near Waren. It turns west, and flows through a series of small lakes, and along the town of Malchow, until the Plauer See. It flows out of the Plauer See at

Plau am See Plau am See () is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated 28 km east of Parchim, and 29 km west of Waren. Around 1235 the city was called Plawe, that being the Polabian fi ...

, and continues west and southwest through Lübz,

Parchim Parchim (; Mecklenburgisch: ''Parchen'') is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is the capital of the Ludwigslust-Parchim district. It was the birthplace of Helmuth von Moltke the Elder, to whom a monument was erected in 1876. Foun ...

Neustadt-Glewe Neustadt-Glewe is a German town, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim. History Neustadt-Glewe was mentioned for the first time in a document in 1248. Hans Axel Holm, a Swedish writer and journalist, documente ...

Grabow Grabow () is a town in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the river Elde, 7 km (4.35 mi) southeast of Ludwigslust, and 34 km (21.12 mi) northwest of Wittenberge. It ...

and

Eldena Eldena is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe ...

, and flows into the Elbe at Dömitz. Near Eldena, the ''Alte Elde'' branches off and flows into the Löcknitz (another tributary of the Elbe) near Eldenburg, part of Lenzen (Elbe). For much of its length, , it forms the navigable ''Müritz-Elde-Wasserstraße'', with 17

locks Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

.Datentabellen
Generaldirektion Wasserstraßen und Schifffahrt Standort Magdeburg The Elde is murky, due to the fast erosion of the valley around it.

References

Rivers of Brandenburg Rivers of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Federal waterways in Germany Rivers of Germany {{Brandenburg-river-stub