The Nidda () is a right-bank

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 river Main in

Hesse Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. It springs from the

Vogelsberg The Vogelsberg () is a large volcanic mountain range in the German Central Uplands in the state of Hesse, separated from the Rhön Mountains by the Fulda (river), Fulda river valley. Emerging approximately 19 million years ago, the Vogelsber ...

on the Taufstein mountain range near the town of Schotten. It flows through the Niddastausee dam, and then through the towns of Nidda, Niddatal, Karben, and Bad Vilbel. At Harheim it reaches the

Frankfurt am Main Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

city area, and, after 90 km, flows into the Main in Höchst. In the 1920s and 1960s, the flow of the Nidda was regulated to reduce the risk of

floods A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...

. The original numerous

meander A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves in the Channel (geography), channel of a river or other watercourse. It is produced as a watercourse erosion, erodes the sediments of an outer, concave bank (cut bank, cut bank or river cl ...

s turned into bayous, while the riverbed was straightened and made deeper. DSC06830 Nidda Umgestaltung nahe Westkreuz Frankfurt

Since 1993, the Nidda gets partially restored to its natural state, beginning in Frankfurt-Berkersheim. Also a bicycle path was built along the river. From 2012 to 2013 the old

weir A weir or low-head dam is a barrier across the width of a river that alters the flow characteristics of water and usually results in a change in the height of the water level. Weirs are also used to control the flow of water for outlets of l ...

in Frankfurt-Höchst has been demolished and substituted by a so called "Streichwehr": A type of weir which allows fishes to move freely as well as it is also usable to avoid

. Since 2023 the same process is in progress at the weir in Frankfurt-Sossenheim.

Tributaries

The following rivers are tributaries to the river Nidda (from source to mouth): *Left: Michelbach, Läunsbach, Eichelbach, Hohensteinerbach, Laisbach, Wehrbach, Selzenbach, Nidder, Edelbach *Right: Graswiesenbach, Hohlbach, Gierbach, Ulfa, Salzbach, Hollergraben, Horloff, Wetter, Rosbach, Geringsgraben, Erlenbach, Eschbach, Kalbach, Urselbach, Steinbach, Westerbach and Sulzbach. Image:Höchst Wörthspitze Feb 2007.jpg, Nidda estuary „Wörthspitze“ with houseboats Image:Niddaquelle_Moor.jpg, The area around the source of the Nidda Image:Nidda_Nidder_Muendung.jpg, Mouth of the tributary Nidder

References

External links

{{Authority control Rivers of Hesse Rivers of the Vogelsberg Rivers of Germany