| Svratka | |
| Source1 Location: | Cikháj, Upper Svratka Highlands |
| Mouth Location: | Thaya |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 48.9044°N 16.6122°W |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Czech Republic |
| Subdivision Type2: | Regions |
| Length Km: | 168.5 |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 27.24m3/s near estuary |
| Basin Size Km2: | 7115.6 |
The Svratka (pronounced as /cs/; de|Schwarzach) is a river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Thaya River. It flows through the Vysočina and South Moravian regions, including the city of Brno. It is 168.5km (104.7miles) long, making it the 9th longest river in the Czech Republic.
According to one theory, the name originates from the Proto-Slavic verb vort (vrátit in modern Czech), which meant "to return". It denoted "a returning river" (which meant meandering river). Another theory is that the name was derived from the Germanic Swarta, which meant "black water". Sometimes the river was colloquially referred to as Švarcava or Švorcava.[1]
The Svratka originates in the territory of Cikháj in the Upper Svratka Highlands at an elevation of and flows to the Nové Mlýny reservoirs, where it enters the Thaya River in Dolní Věstonice at an elevation of . It is 168.5km (104.7miles) long, making it the 9th longest river in the Czech Republic. Its drainage basin has an area of 7115.6km2.[2]
The longest tributaries of the Svratka are:[3]
| Tributary | Length (km) | River km | Side | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 180.8 | 0.1 | right | ||
| 98.4 | 40.7 | left | ||
| 62.6 | 78.9 | right | ||
| 58.6 | 29.0 | left | ||
| Bobrava | 37.6 | 36.8 | right | |
| Bílý potok | 36.0 | 67.0 | right | |
| Šatava | 32.0 | 9.9 | right | |
| Nedvědička | 30.2 | 89.1 | right | |
| Bystřice | 26.2 | 113.5 | right | |
| Hodonínka | 24.4 | 103.0 | left | |
| Lubě | 24.1 | 73.7 | left | |
| Fryšávka | 23.8 | 125.5 | right |
The most notable settlement on the Svratka is the city of Brno, where the Svitava flows into the river. The river flows past the following municipalities: Cikháj, Herálec, Svratka, Křižánky, Březiny, Krásné, Spělkov, Telecí, Borovnice, Jimramov, Strachujov, Unčín, Dalečín, Chlum-Korouhvice, Vír, Koroužné, Štěpánov nad Svratkou, Ujčov, Nedvědice, Černvír, Doubravník, Borač, Štěpánovice, Tišnov, Veverská Bítýška, Brno, Modřice, Rajhrad, Židlochovice, Nosislav, Velké Němčice, Vranovice, Pouzdřany, Ivaň and Dolní Věstonice.
In the section from Březiny to Borovnice, the river forms the border between the Vysočina and Pardubice regions. In the section from Herálec to Jimramov, the river also forms the border between the historical lands of Bohemia and Moravia.
The reservoirs Brno, Vír I and Vír II are built on the Svratka. The largest body of water in the basin area is the Dalešice Reservoir with an area of, which is built on the Jihlava River. There are 4,942 bodies of water in the basin area.[2]
The Svratka is among the popular rivers for river tourism. Two of its sections are navigable; hovewer, the upper section is navigable only during the spring thaw and after heavy rains, and the lower section depends on the discharge of the Vír I and Vír II reservoirs. A short slalom channel is built between Vír I and Vír II.[4] [5]