The Werra is a river in Germany. It flows through the states of Thuringia, Hesse and Lower Saxony. The length of its course is 292 km. The catchment area is 5496 km². It has two sources. Rises in the south of the federal state of Thuringia in an area called the Thuringian Shale Upland (Thüringer Schiefergebirge in German), near the Zeupelsberg (760 m) and Bleßberg (865 m) on the western slopes of the Thuringian Forest.
Flow of the river
It flows in a rugged valley cut into a limestone-sandstone plateau. It is one of the sources of the Vezera. The other source is the Fulda, with which the Werra meets the Hann. Münden at an altitude of 116,5 m. It reaches its highest water levels in spring. The average flow near the confluence with the Fulda is 50,5 m³/s. Water transport for small boats is possible within 59 km of the estuary. The towns of Meiningen, Bad Salzungen, Eisenach, Eschwege and the estuary of Hann are located on the river. Münden.
The monasteries in the early Middle Ages were the inspiration for the Werra cruise. In the 14th century, navigation over the Wanfried was stopped for the construction of mills. Below Wanfried, the mill dams were so small that ships could use the open fairways, which were at the same time navigation lanes or locks. Between 1921 and 1924, a dam was built on the Letzten Heller River to generate hydroelectric power. From 1926 onwards, there were new plans to extend the Werry, mainly for the transport of potash to the overseas port of Bremen. The Second World War eventually prevented the project from being realised.
