Schwalm (Meuse)

The Schwalm (German) or Swalm (Dutch), is a small river in Germany and the Netherlands, tributary to the river Meuse. Its source is near Wegberg, in the district Heinsberg, south-west of Mönchengladbach, in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany). The Schwalm flows through Wegberg and Brüggen before flowing into the Meuse across the border with the Netherlands, in Swalmen. Its total length is 45 km.

Course
The source of the Schwalm is in a wetland area south of the German village of Wegberg-Tüschenbroich at an elevation of about. From there the river flows mainly through the Maas-Schwalm-Nette Nature Park, its riverbed running between the rivers Rur, Nette and Niers.

Of its total length from this source to its mouth on the Meuse, near the village of Swalmen at about, 13 kilometres of the river run through Dutch territory.

Parts of the river which, for example, run past the villages of Wegberg, Niederkrüchten, Schwalmtal, Brüggen-Born, Brüggen and Swalmen, form natural meanders.

The catchment area of the Schwalm is 268.7 square kilometres, of which around 27 square kilometres lie in the Netherlands.

Tributaries

 * Beeckbach
 * Mühlenbach
 * Knippertzbach
 * Kranenbach
 * Elmpter Bach

Flora and fauna
The carr and heath/bog areas along the Schwalm provide a diverse habitat for fauna and flora. Frogs, dragonflies, damselflies, bluethroat, kingfisher and golden oriole are to be found as are water crowfoot, bog myrtle and other rare plants. brown trout, barbel and chub are at home in the river; along the river banks are also various members of the eter water rat family.