The Bečva (; , ''Betsch'') is a

river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

, a left

tributary A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''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 into which they ...

of the Morava River. It flows through the

Olomouc Olomouc (; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 103,000 inhabitants, making it the Statutory city (Czech Republic), sixth largest city in the country. It is the administrative centre of the Olomouc Region. Located on the Morava (rive ...

and

Zlín Zlín (in 1949–1989 Gottwaldov; ; ) is a city in the Czech Republic. It has about 75,000 inhabitants. It is the seat of the Zlín Region and it lies on the Dřevnice River. It is known as an industrial centre. The development of the modern city ...

regions. It is formed by the confluence of the Vsetínská Bečva and Rožnovská Bečva rivers. Together with the Vsetínská Bečva, which is its main source, the Bečva is long, making it the 16th longest river in the Czech Republic. Without the Vsetínská Bečva, it is long.

Etymology

The name is derived from the old Czech words ''bek'', ''beč'' (i.e. 'cry'), meaning 'loud river'.

Characteristic

From a water management point of view, the Bečva and Vsetínská Bečva are two different rivers with separate numbering of river kilometres. In a broader point of view, the Bečva (as Vsetínská Bečva) originates in the territory of Velké Karlovice in the Hostýn-Vsetín Mountains at an elevation of and flows to Tovačov, where it enters the Morava River at an elevation of . It is long, making it the 16th longest river in the country. Its

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

has an area of . The name Bečva is used from the confluence of the Vsetínská Bečva with the Rožnovská Bečva in

Valašské Meziříčí Valašské Meziříčí (; ) is a town in Vsetín District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 23,000 inhabitants. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an Cultural monument (Czech Republic)#Monum ...

and from this point to the confluence with the Morava, the river is long. The sources and longest tributaries of the Bečva are:

Course

The most notable settlement on the river is the city of

Přerov Přerov (; ) is a city in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 41,000 inhabitants. It lies on the Bečva River. In the past it was a major crossroad in the heart of Moravia in the Czech Republic. The historic city centre is we ...

. The river flows through the municipal territories of

, Lešná, Choryně, Kladeruby, Hustopeče nad Bečvou, Kelč, Milotice nad Bečvou, Zámrsky, Špičky, Černotín, Skalička, Ústí, Teplice nad Bečvou, Hranice, Jezernice, Týn nad Bečvou, Lipník nad Bečvou, Osek nad Bečvou, Radslavice, Prosenice, Grymov, Přerov, Rokytnice, Troubky and Tovačov.

Bodies of water

There are no reservoirs and fishponds built directly on the Bečva. There are 655 bodies of water in the basin area. The largest of them are the Karolinka Reservoir with an area of and the fishpond Velký choryňský with an area of .

Floods

The area around Bečva is prone to flooding and was severely damaged during the 1997 Central European flood. The construction of the Skalička dry pond is planned for the river. It will serve to regulate the flow during floods. Construction is planned for 2025–2029.

Fauna

Among the fish species found in the river are barbel, nase, European chub, trout, pike, sander and perch. The number of fish decreased significantly after the ecological disaster of 20 September 2020, when chemicals entered the river in an unknown way. About 40 tons of dead fish were caught, but actual losses may have been much higher. The absence of dams had a positive effect on the high biodiversity around the river. There are dozens of endangered species of beetles (including six critically endangered species of beetles) and three endangered species of spiders. Protected birds bound to the river include the common kingfisher and the little ringed plover.

Tourism

The Bečva is suitable for river tourism and belongs to the rivers suitable for less experienced paddlers. The river is navigable especially in spring and after the rains. Shoals form when the water level is lower.

References

External links

River flow at Dluhonice station
– Flood Warning and Forecasting Service of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute {{DEFAULTSORT:Becva Rivers of the Olomouc Region Rivers of the Zlín Region Rivers of the Czech Republic Braided rivers in Europe Moravian Wallachia