Overview
The Smědá (; , ) is a river in the Czech Republic and Poland, a right tributary of the Lusatian Neisse River. It flows through the Liberec Region in the Czech Republic and then through Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Together with the Bílá Smědá, which is its main source, the Smědá is long. Without the Bílá Smědá, it is long.
Etymology
The initial name of the river was Wietev, derived from the Slavic word for 'branch' (in modern Czech větev). The oldest mention of Wietev is from 1539. The German name Wittig was derived from this name. In 1951, the German name was replaced by Witka in Poland. The modern Czech name Smědá ('dark' in old Czech) is derived from the dark water which flows out of the peat bogs.
Characteristic
The Smědá originates as Bílá Smědá in peat pogs in the territory of Hejnice in the Jizera Mountains at an elevation of exactly . After it merges with the stream Černá Smědá (and from a broader point of view with the Hnědá Smědá, which joins the Černá Smědá) and further continues as Smědá. It flows to Radomierzyce, where it enters the Lusatian Neisse River at an elevation of . Its total length is . Without the Bílá Smědá, the Smědá is long, of which (including the Czech-Polish border) is in the Czech Republic. About forms the Czech-Polish state border. The drainage basin has an area of ,
Course
The river flows through the territories of Hejnice, Bílý Potok, Raspenava, Frýdlant, Kunratice, Višňová and Černousy in the Czech Republic and Zawidów, Gmina Sulików and Gmina Zgorzelec in Poland.
Bodies of water
In Poland, the Niedów Reservoir (also called Witka Reservoir) is constructed on the Smědá. It was built in 1958–1962 and is used as a recreational area. In 2010, the dam burst due to flash floods. The new dam was built in 2016.
Nature
The final section of the river within the limits of the Czech Republic is protected as the Meandry Smědé ('Smědá meanders') Nature Reserve. It has an area of . The object of protection is the natural character of the river bed with meanders, pools and wet meadows, with a large number of protected plant and animal species. The wider area with a strech of the river with a length of about is also protected as a Special Area of Conservation. The area is home to a population of the green snaketail, which is a protected species in the Czech Republic. The fauna living in the river includes river trout, brook trout, European bullhead, burbot, Eurasian minnow and brook lamprey.
See also
*List of rivers of the Czech Republic *List of rivers of Poland
External links
*River flow at Předlánce station – Flood Warning and Forecasting Service of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute