Anterior Rhine

The Vorderrhein (; ; ; ; ), or Anterior Rhine, is the left of the two initial tributaries of the Rhine (the other being the '' Hinterrhein''). It is longer than the ''Hinterrhein'', but has a lower discharge than the latter at their confluence, which marks the beginning of the Alpine Rhine section.

The ''Vorderrhein'' and nearly all of its tributaries are located in the Swiss canton of Grisons (), with the largest communities along the river being Disentis and Ilanz. One of its upper tributaries, the Rein da Medel, rises in the canton of Ticino.

''Vorderrhein'' was also the name of a judicial district that was created in 1851 with the reorganization of the judiciary of Graubünden. In 2001, it was annexed by the District Surselva.

Geography

Course

The ''Vorderrhein'' flows mostly in an east-northeast direction, through the Surselva, a large longitudinal valley. Its north side is steep, with short valleys; the southern side, however, is divided by some long valleys (similarly to the situation in the canton of Valais further west). Consequently, its main tributaries, the Rein da Sumvitg, the Glenner and the Rabiusa, all come from the south, or right side of the ''Vorderrhein''. In its lower course, the Vorderrhein flows through the Flims Rockslide, giving rise to the canyon country of the Ruinaulta. Near Reichenau, it joins the ''Hinterrhein'' to form the Alpine Rhine, which continues to Lake Constance ().

The catchment area of the ''Vorderrhein'', measuring , is located predominantly in the canton of Grisons (), Switzerland. The ''Vorderrhein'' is about long, thus more than 5% longer than the ''Hinterrhein'' (each measured to the farthest source). The ''Vorderrhein'', however, has an average water flow of , which is less than the flow of the ''Hinterrhein'' ().Hydrologischer Atlas der Schweiz 2002, Tab. 5.4 ''Natürliche Abflüsse 1961-1980'' (natural discharges)
see map

According to the Atlas of Switzerland of the Swiss Federal Office of Topography, the source of the Vorderrhein—and thus of the Rhine—is located north of the Rein da Tuma and Lake Toma.

Headwaters

Some of the tributaries of the ''Vorderrhein'' are almost as long as the main branch. In downstream order, they are (measuring their length from their respective sources to the confluence with the ''Hinterrhein'' at Reichenau, near Bonaduz):

* Two unnamed streams originating in the Puozas and Milez areas near the Oberalppass
* Rein da Tuma, including the Lai da Tuma and the main head of the lake, about
* The Aua da Val from the Val valley ()
* Rein da Maighels (75 km) (tributary of the Rein da Curnera)
* Rein da Curnera (about )
* Rein da Nalps (about )
* Rein da Medel; the upper reaches in the canton of Ticino are known as the , and also as the Froda (about )

Thus, the longer arms are not the source at Oberalppass, but further southeast. The longest headwater of the ''Vorderrhein'' (and thus the Rhine as a whole; see '' sources of the Rhine''), is the Reno di Medel, which rises on the border of the municipality Quinto in Ticino. In the uppermost part of its course, it runs in the Val Cadlimo, south of the geomorphological main Alpine ridge, west of the Lukmanier Pass.

The high point of the ''Vorderrheins drainage basin is the Piz Russein of the Tödi massif of the Glarus Alps at above sea level. It starts with the creek Aua da Russein ().

Witenwasserenstock mountain is the triple divide of the drainage basins between the rivers Rhine, Rhône and Po.

Tourism

Thanks to its attractive scenery and some interesting passages, the ''Vorderrhein'' is a popular river for paddling and rafting, especially the section between Ilanz and Versam.

Along entire length of the ''Vorderrhein'' there are two narrow-gauge railway lines. The Reichenau-Tamins–Disentis/Mustér railway is served by the Rhätische Bahn between and . From Disentis, the Furka-Oberalp line, served by the '' Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn'', runs over the Oberalp Pass to (canton of Uri) and onwards to (canton of Valais).

In the Ruinaulta area, the main road runs to the north of the river, and at its highest point, at Flims, it is about above the Rhine.

The Senda Sursilvana, a hiking trail, leads from the Oberalp Pass along the ''Vorderrhein'' in the direction of Chur.Hiking Switzerland on the Senda Sursilvana in Graubünden
/ref>

Gallery

File:View from Islabord bus stop in Versam.jpg, Vorderrhein and Ruinaulta as seen from Islabord PostAuto stop in Versam
File:Ruinaulta from Zault Observation Deck.jpg, Vorderrhein and Ruinaulta as seen from Zault Observation Deck in Bonaduz
VorderrheinSagogn1.JPG, The Vorderrhein at Schluein

See also

* List of rivers of Switzerland

Footnotes

External links

Natural Monument Ruinaulta

flow description for water rides

{{Authority control

Rhine

Tamins