Alf_(river) Knowpia

Alf
Alf
	Rapids in the Strohn Gorge near Strohn
	Alf location [1]
Location
Country	Germany
State	Rhineland-Palatinate
Reference no.	DE: 268
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	North of Darscheid
• coordinates	50°13′41″N 6°53′08″E / 50.22806°N 6.88556°E
• elevation	549 m above sea level (NHN)
Mouth
• location	Near Alf into the Moselle
• coordinates	50°03′26″N 7°07′43″E / 50.05722°N 7.12861°E
• elevation	95 m above sea level (NHN)
Length	51.879 km
Basin size	358.146 km2
Basin features
Progression	Moselle→ Rhine→ North Sea
Landmarks	Villages: Darscheid, Gillenfeld, Strohn, Bausendorf, Kinderbeuern, Bengel, Alf
Tributaries
• left	Laubach, Diefenbach, Holzbach, Salzbach, Olkenbach, Ewesbach, Kammerbach, Udelsbach, Saalsbach, Üßbach
• right	Irlenbach, Sammetbach, Demichbach, Elterbach, Hoegbach, Ilbach, Erbach, Scherbach,

The Alf is a small river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, a left tributary of the Moselle. It rises in the Eifel, near Darscheid, east of Daun. The Alf flows south through Mehren, Gillenfeld and Bausendorf, where it turns east to flow into the Moselle at the village of Alf.

Geography edit

Course edit

The Alf rises about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) northeast of Hörscheid in the Volcanic Eifel. From its source at a height of 549 metres (1,801 ft), the Alf initially flows in a southerly direction to the village of Darscheid, from which it flows to the east through the villages of Gillenfeld and Strohn. The next section of the Alf, to Bausendorf, is very winding; it then turns towards the east and cuts through the south of the forest of Kondelwald, passing the villages of Kinderbeuern and Bengel. Around 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) beyond Bengel it changes course abruptly and swings north. A ridge prevents it from flowing further east unto the Moselle, here just 500 metres (1,600 ft) away. After breaking through the Moselle Hills the Alf finally reaches the Moselle at Alf (Cochem-Zell) at a height of 95 metres (312 ft). Along its 53 kilometres (33 mi) course from source to mouth, the Alf descends through 454 metres (1,490 ft), giving it an average river bed gradient of 8.6‰.