Jihlava (river)

The Jihlava (Igel) is a river in the Czech Republic, a right tributary of the Svratka River. It flows through the Vysočina and South Moravian regions. Its 180.8 km length makes it the 8th longest river in the Czech Republic.

Etymology
The first written mention of Jihlava (written as Giglaue) is from 1226, when it was referred to when demarcating the boundaries of the properties of the Želiv monastery. The origin of the name is often interpreted as coming from the German igel (i.e. 'hedgehog'), but a more likely origin is the Celtic word uig, meaning 'stream'.

Characteristic
The Jihlava originates in Jihlávka in the Křemešník Highlands at the elevation of 666 m and flows to the Nové Mlýny reservoirs, where it enters the Svratka River in Ivaň at the elevation of 169 m. It is 180.8 km long, which makes it the 8th longest river in the Czech Republic. Its drainage basin has an area of 2996.5 km2.

The longest tributaries of the Jihlava are:

Settlements
The most notable settlements on the river are the city of Jihlava, named after the river, and the town of Třebíč. The river flows through the following municipalities: Jihlávka, Horní Ves, Horní Cerekev, Batelov, Dolní Cerekev, Kostelec, Dvorce, Rantířov, Jihlava, Malý Beranov, Luka nad Jihlavou, Bítovčice, Bransouze, Číchov, Přibyslavice, Třebíč, Vladislav, Kramolín, Mohelno, Biskoupky, Ivančice, Moravské Bránice, Nové Bránice, Dolní Kounice, Pravlov, Kupařovice, Medlov, Pohořelice, Přibice and Ivaň.

Bodies of water
The reservoirs Dalešice (463 ha) and Mohelno (75 ha) are constructed on the river and are the largest bodies of water in the basin area. There are 2,666 bodies of water in the basin area.

Economy
The Dalešice Hydro Power Plant is built on the river between the Dalešice and Mohelno reservoirs.

The Jihlava is suitable for river tourism. Three of its sections are navigable.