Erft

The Erft (pronounced [ʔɛɐ̯ft]) is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows through the foothills of the Eifel, and joins the Lower Rhine (left tributary). Its origin is near Nettersheim, and its mouth in Neuss-Grimlinghausen south of the Josef Cardinal Frings Bridge. The river is 106.6 kilometres (66.2 mi) long, which is significantly shorter than it was originally. Due to the open-pit mining of lignite in the Hambacher Loch, the flow of the river had to be changed.

Erft
Lower reaches of the Erft near Bergheim
Cours of the river Erft [1]
Location
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Reference no.	DE: 274
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Southeast of Engelgau as the Kuhbach Signed source of the Erft near Holzmülheim
• coordinates	50°29′14″N 6°35′14″E
• elevation	527 m above sea level (NHN)
Mouth
• location	Rhine near Neuss-Grimlinghausen
• coordinates	51°11′04″N 6°43′54″E
• elevation	31 m above sea level (NHN)
Length	106.6 km (66.2 mi) (incl. Kuhbach)
Basin size	1,837.915 km2 (709.623 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	at Neubrück gauge
• average	16.4 m3/s (580 cu ft/s)
• minimum	Record low: 5.15 m3/s (182 cu ft/s) (in 16.07.2007) Average low: 10.4 m3/s (370 cu ft/s)
• maximum	Average high: 31.3 m3/s (1,110 cu ft/s) Record high: 46.6 m3/s (1,650 cu ft/s) (in 04.06.1984)
Basin features
Progression	Rhine→ North Sea
Landmarks	Cities: Neuss Large towns: Euskirchen, Erftstadt, Bedburg, Bergheim, Grevenbroich, Kerpen Small towns: Bad Münstereifel
Tributaries
• left	Veybach, Rotbach, Neffelbach
• right	Swist, Gillbach, Norfbach

The Erft gave its name to the town of Erftstadt, through which it flows, as well as to the Rhein-Erft district. It also flows through the towns of Bad Münstereifel, Euskirchen, Bergheim, Bedburg and Grevenbroich.

Gallery

• 
  Source of the Erft near Holzmülheim
• 
  The Erft near Grevenbroich
• 
  Mouth of the Erft in the Rhine near Neuss-Grimlinghausen