Bystřice (river)

Bystřice is a river in the Czech Republic, a right tributary of the Elbe River. It flows through the Hradec Králové and Central Bohemian regions. It is 49.6 km long.

Etymology
The name of the river is derived from the Czech word bystrá, meaning "fast-flowing", "rapid".

Characteristic
The Bystřice originates in the territory of Horní Brusnice in the Giant Mountains Foothills at the elevation of 481 m and flows to Chlumec nad Cidlinou, where it enters the Cidlina River at the elevation of 214 m. The river is 62.7 km long. Its drainage basin has an area of 379.2 km2.

The longest tributary of the Bystřice is the Bašnický potok with a length of 18.4 km.

Flow
The largest town around which the river flows is Hořice. The river flows through the municipal territories of Horní Brusnice, Pecka, Borek, Tetín, Miletín, Rohoznice, Červená Třemešná, Hořice, Jeřice, Cerekvice nad Bystřicí, Hněvčeves, Benátky, Sovětice, Sadová, Dohalice, Mžany, Mokrovousy, Třesovice, Nechanice, Kunčice, Boharyně, Puchlovice, Roudnice, Kratonohy, Kosičky, Kosice, Písek, Nové Město and Chlumec nad Cidlinou.

Bodies of water
There are 377 bodies of water in the basin area. The largest of them is the Třesický pond with an area of 37 ha. There are no fishponds or reservoirs built directly on the Bystřice.

Protection of nature
A survey conducted in 2010 showed that the Bystřice River was inhabited by a total of 21 species of aquatic molluscs, out of which 11 were gastropods and the remaining 10 were bivalves. Most of the recorded species were common ones. Although previous researches had shown the river to have an even higher number of species, the most notable find of the research in 2010 was the increase in the alien New Zealand mud snail and European physa species. On the other hand, there was also the discovery of the presence of the endangered thick shelled river mussel, with an increased population density of the species as compared to a few years ago. Due to the presence of the thick shelled river mussel, the river bed between Hořice and Boharyně is protected as a nature monument. It has an area of 27.8 ha.

The river in the valley to the west of Hořice, along with its immediate surroundings, is protected as the Údolí Bystřice nature monument. It has an area of 17.8 ha. The reason for the protection is the natural flow of the river, riparian vegetation and hygrophilous meadows with the occurrence of protected species of plants and animals.

The river valley on its upper course is protected as the Kalské údolí nature monument. It has an area of 22.9 ha and the reasons for protection are the same as in the case of Údolí Bystřice.