Gravel stream
The gravel-shaped stream (type 10) is one of the flowing water types of the low mountain ranges defined by the federal / state working group on water .
Water structure
Gravel-shaped streams are large rivers with a catchment area of over 10,000 km². They flow rapidly in narrow valleys or flow at different speeds in wide valleys, whereby wide flood plains with multi-bed channels are also possible. Structures such as fords , islands and splits in the course of the river are also comparatively common. The bottom consists mainly of gravel with a small amount of sand. Deadwood, mostly in the form of overturned trees, is naturally abundant.
Flora and fauna
Both grazing and sediment-eating forms are present in invertebrates. Examples are the river mussel , mayflies , the little dragonfly , the ground bug or various caddis fly larvae . The fish community, like that of the invertebrates, is rich in species, there are species such as barbel , chub and bleak in addition to still water species in the floodplain waters and seasonal migratory fish such as the Atlantic salmon in the Rhine. Some endemic species such as the huchen or the zingel can be found in the Danube region .
In the bank area of the streams, various aquatic plants such as the streaky pondweed , the flooding buttercup or the milfoil can be found. Plankton is also abundant in rivers with little discharge .
Examples
- Upper and Middle Rhine
- Upper Elbe
- Upper Danube
- Main
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+ Profile of river type 10 on wasserblick.net (PDF; 127 kB), accessed on November 30, 2011