Selz

The Selz is a river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, a left tributary to the Rhine. It flows through the biggest German wine region, which is called Rheinhessen.

It rises near the village Orbis in the Donnersbergkreis, passes the border from the Palatinate to Rheinhessen and after about 8 km the city of Alzey in the Alzey-Worms district. There the river passes a pond, and vanishes underground, flowing through the canalisation of the town. On their way she crosses Gau-Odernheim, Nieder-Olm and Ingelheim, finally discharging in Frei-Weinheim into the Rhine.

Its 375 km² comprising watershed is determined by warm dry climate showing an average yearly precipitation around 500 mm. Despite its slender, in many cases irregular water flow conditions, the Selz is regarded as receiving stream of the low rainfall area of the rheinhessian rolling country. During low water periods the discharge consists to a notable amount out of clean effluents of wastewater treating plants.