Leine

The Leine River: Overview

The Leine is a river in Germany and the largest tributary of the Aller River.

Course and Characteristics

It flows for 281 km through Thuringia and Lower Saxony, with a catchment area of 6,512 km².

Location and Altitude

The river rises in the Eichsfeld highlands in Thuringia at an altitude of 340 m and flows into the Aller at Schwarmstedt, Lower Saxony, at an altitude of 25 m.

Usage and Transport

The river is used for hydroelectric power, and water transport is possible below Hanover.

Towns Along the River

The Leine flows through several towns, including Leinefelde-Worbis, Göttingen, Northeim, Einbeck, Alfeld, Laatzen, Hannover, Seelze, and Neustadt am Rübenberge.

Through shipping no longer exists. The Leine is only used locally by very small motor boats. Above Leinewehr in Hannover-Herrenhausen, passenger boats and pleasure boats ply the Leine and the mouth of the Ihme. On the west side of Lake Maschsee, the Schnelle Graben connects the Leine with the Ihme. In 1745, a weir was opened at the Schneller Graben to relieve the Leine during floods and to divert the water around Hanover across the Ihme. After the weir is restored, a certain amount of water is always diverted to the artificial weir of the Schneller Graben by means of a hydroelectric power station, which has existed there since 1922. The weir is operated as needed to regulate the water level of the Leine. From here, the Leine (Ihme) is navigable.