Køge Å is a 20.6 km long stream or small river which drains into the Bay of Køge in central

Køge Køge (, older spelling ''Kjøge'') is a Danish seaport on the coast of Køge Bugt (''Bay of Køge'') 39 km southwest of Copenhagen. It is the principal town and seat of Køge Municipality, Region Sjælland (Zealand), Denmark. In 2025, the ...

, on the east coast of

Zealand Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...

, some 40 km south of

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

. The stream originates in the area south of the protected Regnemarks Mose boglands and is 10 metres wide at its mouth. A 22 km gravel road for cyclists and pedestrians follows the stream from the town of Køge to Humleore on onwards to Borup station. Extraction of groundwater for Copenhagen's water supply has drained its basin since the 1960s and the stream is therefore fed with water from Kimmerslev Lake in dry periods and a pumping station at Skovhuse Vænge also feeds it with ground water.

Ecology

Køge Å is home to the endangered

Spined loach The spined loach (''Cobitis taenia'') is a common freshwater fish in Europe. It is sometimes known as spotted weather loach, not to be confused with the "typical" weather loaches of the genus '' Misgurnus''. This is the type species of the spiny ...

(''Cobitis taenia'').

Landmarks

A 22-km long gravel road for pedestrians and cyclists follows the stream. The listed Køge Bridge dates from 1637. It was designed by

Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger Hans van Steenwinckel the Younger (24 June 1587 – 6 August 1639) was a Flemish- Danish architect who specialised in the Dutch Renaissance style, typical of prestigious Danish buildings from the first half of the 17th century. Along with hi ...

but has been widened several times.

References

Køge Municipality Rivers of Zealand {{Denmark-river-stub