Emme (river)

The Emme is a river in Switzerland. It rises in the Alps between the peaks of Hohgant and Augstmatthorn in the canton of Bern. The Emme is 80 km long and flows through the Emmental and between Zuchwil and Luterbach into the Aare. The drainage area is 983 km2. The average discharge at the mouth is approximately 20,000 L/s. The maximum discharge can be up to 500,000 L/s.

The Emme is known for its sudden variations in water discharge. The narration Die Wassernot im Emmental (The Water Crisis in the Emmen Valley) by Jeremias Gotthelf impressively describes a very large and destructive, and therefore well-known, flood which occurred August 13, 1837. This and other floods led to the building of numerous canals and dams in the 19th century.

The tributaries of the Emme are the Ilfis and the Limpach.