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The 'Main' (pronounced in German (Mein) like the English word ''mine'') is a river in Germany, 524 km (329 mile) long (including White Main, 574 km (357 mi)), and one of the more significant tributaries of the Rhine river. It flows through the German states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg (forming the border to Bavaria for some miles) and Hesse. Its catchment basin competes with the Danube for water; as a result, much of its boundaries are identical with those of the European Watershed.
The Main is formed near Kulmbach by the joining of its two headstreams, the Red Main and the White Main. The former rises from the Frankish Alb, 50 km (30 mi) in length, and runs through Creussen and Bayreuth. The latter's source is located in the mountains of the Fichtelgebirge; it is 41 km (25 mi) long. Major tributaries of the Main are the Regnitz, the Fränkische Saale, the Tauber, and the Nidda River.
The largest city along the Main is Frankfurt am Main (ford of the Franks). After the junction of its headstreams, the Main passes the following towns and cities: Burgkunstadt, Lichtenfels, Staffelstein, Eltmann, Haßfurt, Schweinfurt, Volkach, Kitzingen, Marktbreit, Ochsenfurt, Würzburg, Karlstadt, Gemünden, Lohr, Marktheidenfeld, Wertheim am Main, Miltenberg, Obernburg, Aschaffenburg, Seligenstadt, Hainburg, Hanau, Offenbach, Frankfurt, Hattersheim, Flörsheim, Rüsselsheim. By the time it flows into the Rhine opposite Mainz, at a district of Wiesbaden (Mainz-Kostheim), it is a formidable river.

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Navigation

References

Navigation

The Main is navigable for river shipping from its mouth at the Rhine close to Mainz, via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and the highly regulated Altmühl river, all the way to the Danube. The river has been canalized with 34 large locks (300 m x 12 m, 984 feet by 39 feet) to allow CEMT class V (110 m x 11.45 m, 360 ft x 37.5 ft) vessels to navigate the total length of the river. The 16 locks in the adjacent Rhine-Main-Danube Canal are of the same dimensions, as are the locks on the Danube.
The river's mouth is 1000 kilometers (600 mi) away from the junction with the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. The winding course is the main reason for this considerable length; if the river was straight, it would be probably less than half its current length. Because the river is rather narrow for much of the upstream stretches, navigation with larger vessels and push convoys requires great skills.
The river has gained enormous importance as a vital part of European "Corridor VII", the inland waterway link from the North Sea to the Black Sea [1].

References

★ NoorderSoft Waterways Database