Course
The Weser river is the longest German river to reach the sea the course of which lies entirely within the national territory.
The top section of its course leads through a hilly region called the Weserbergland. It extends from the confluence of the Fulda and the Werra to the Porta Westfalica, where it runs through a gorge between two mountain chains, the Wiehengebirge in the west and the Weserbergland in the east.
Between Minden and the North Sea, it has largely been canalised, permitting ships of up to 1,200 tons to navigate it. Eight hydroelectric dams are located along its length. It is linked to the Dortmund-Ems Canal via the Coastal Canal, and another canal links it at Bremerhaven to the Elbe River. A large reservoir on the Eder river, the main tributary of the Fulda, is used to regulate water levels on the Weser so as to ensure adequate depth for shipping throughout the year. The dam, built in 1914, was bombed and destroyed by British aircraft in May 1943, causing massive destruction and approximately 70 deaths downstream, but was rebuilt within four months. Today, the Edersee reservoir is a major summer resort area and provides substantial hydroelectricity.
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Mittelland Canal/ River Weser Lock in Minden, Germany taken in 1977
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View north of the River Weser and the road bridge at Minden in Germany
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Southern view of the River Weser from the road bridge at Minden in Germany in 1977
The Weser enters the North Sea in the southernmost part of the German Bight. In the North Sea it splits up into two arms representing the ancient riverbed at the end of the last ice age. These sea-arms are called Alte Weser (old Weser) and Neue Weser (new Weser). They represent the major waterways for ships heading for the harbors of Bremerhaven, Nordenham and Bremen. The northernmost point of the Weser is marked by the Alte Weser lighthouse. This lighthouse replaced the historic and famous Roter Sand lighthouse in 1964.
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