The Bělá () is a river in the Czech Republic and Poland, a right tributary of the Eastern Neisse. It flows through the Olomouc Region in the Czech Republic and through the Opole Voivodeship in Poland. It is long.
Etymology Bělá is a common Czech name of watercourses, derived from the Czech word bílá (i.e. 'white'). Names of rivers with this colour in the name often referred to the stony or pebbly nature of the river bed.
Characteristic
The Bělá originates in the territory of Bělá pod Pradědem in the Hrubý Jeseník mountain range at an elevation of and flows to Biała Nyska, where it merges with the Eastern Neisse River at an elevation of . It is long, of which is in the Czech Republic. Its drainage basin has an area of , of which is in the Czech Republic.
The average discharge in the town of Głuchołazy (before the confluence with the Mora) is . The average discharge in Mikulovice, 4.9 km before the Czech–Polish state border, is .
The longest tributaries of the Bělá are: Tributary Length (km) Side Mora / Kunětička 21.6 left Staříč 14.2 left Olešnice 13.9 right Šumný potok 9.8 right
Course The river flows through the territories of Bělá pod Pradědem, Jeseník, Česká Ves, Písečná, Hradec-Nová Ves and Mikulovice in the Czech Republic, and continues through the territories of the gminas of Głuchołazy and Nysa in Poland.
Bodies of water The reservoir Nyskie Lake was constructed at the confluence of the Bělá and Eastern Neisse rivers. Otherwise, no fishponds or reservoirs are built on the Bělá.
Nature Most of the Bělá in the Czech Republic flows within the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area. After crossing the border, the river flows along the western border of the Opawskie Mountains Landscape Park.
Among the protected species of animals that live in the river is the fish alpine bullhead, living in the upper course of the river.
See also List of rivers of the Czech Republic List of rivers of Poland
References
External links
River flow at Mikulovice station – Flood Warning and Forecasting Service of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute