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Olza
The Olza in Karviná
Location
Countries	Czech Republic Poland
Region/ Voivodeship	Moravian-Silesian Silesian
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Istebna, Silesian Beskids
• elevation	842 m (2,762 ft)
Mouth
• location	Oder
• coordinates	49°56′55″N 18°20′0″E / 49.94861°N 18.33333°E / 49.94861; 18.33333
• elevation	190 m (620 ft)
Length	89.1 km (55.4 mi)
Basin size	1,107 km (427 sq mi)
Discharge
• average	15.0 m/s (530 cu ft/s) near estuary
Basin features
Progression	Oder→ Baltic Sea

The Olza (Czech: Olše, German: Olsa) is a river in the Czech Republic and Poland, a right tributary of the Oder River. It flows through the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland and through the Moravian-Silesian Region in the Czech Republic. It is 89.1 km (55.4 mi) long. The river forms a significant part of the Czech-Polish state border.

Etymology

The name is derived from the Proto-Slavic word oliga, meaning "a river rich in water". The origin of the name was demonstrated in 1900 by Czech linguist and writer Vincenc Prasek and the revelation was confirmed by various etymological studies in the 20th century. There was also a theory that the name is a derivative of the Germanic Aliza, meaning 'flow'.

The oldest written mention of the Olza is in a letter written by Duke Mieszko in 1290. The river was then mentioned in a written document in 1611 as the Oldza. At the end of the 19th century, with the rise of mass nationalism, both Polish and Czech activists claimed the name Olza to be not Polish enough, on the one hand, and insufficiently Czech, on the other.

Local people always used the Olza name, regardless of their national or ethnic origin. However, the central administration in Prague saw Olza as a Polish name and when most of the river became a part of Czechoslovakia in 1920, it tried to change its name to the Czech form, Olše. However, a degree of dualism in the naming persisted until the 1960s, when the Central State Administration of Geodesy and Cartography ruled that the only official form in the Czech Republic was Olše. This modern Czech name literally means 'alder' in Czech.

Characteristic

The Olza originates in the territory of Gmina Istebna in the Silesian Beskids at an elevation of 842 m (2,762 ft) and flows to the Czech-Polish border in Bohumín/Gorzyce, where it merges with the Oder River at an elevation of 190 m (620 ft). Its drainage basin has an area of 1,107 km (427 sq mi), of which 636.1 km (245.6 sq mi) is in the Czech Republic. The average discharge at its mouth is 15.0 m/s (530 cu ft/s).

The Olza forms two sections of the Czech-Polish state border with a total length of 25.3 km (15.7 mi). Length figures vary by source. According to the newest official measurements, the Czech part of the river (including the Czech-Polish state border) is 73.1 km (45.4 mi) long. The length of the Polish section of the river to the first crossing of the state border is usually stated as 16 km (10 mi), which means that according to the latest measurements, the river has a total length of 89.1 km (55.4 mi). However, based on older measurements, the total length of the river is stated as 86.2 km (53.6 mi), 83 km (52 mi) or even 99 km (62 mi).

The longest tributaries of the Olza are:

Course

The river flows through the territory of Istebna in Poland, then crosses the Czech- Polish border and flows through territories of Bukovec, Písek, Jablunkov, Návsí, Hrádek, Bystřice, Vendryně, Třinec and Český Těšín. Here it begins to form the state border with Cieszyn, Pogwizdów and Kaczyce on the Polish side and Chotěbuz on the Czech side. The river then continues through the territories of Karviná, Dětmarovice and Petrovice u Karviné before it begins to form the state border again, which lasts until its mouth. In this section, it flows along the territories of Godów and Gorzyce in Poland and Dolní Lutyně and Bohumín in the Czech Republic.

Bodies of water

There are 690 bodies of water in the Czech part of the basin area. The largest of them is the Těrlicko Reservoir with an area of 268 ha (660 acres), built on the Stonávka.

Culture

The river is a symbol of the Trans-Olza region, which lies on its west bank, constituting a part of the western half of the historical region of Cieszyn Silesia. The river is depicted in the words of the unofficial anthem of this region and of local Poles, Płyniesz Olzo po dolinie ("Thou flowest, Olza, down the valley"), written by Jan Kubisz.

Fauna

Protected animals that live in the river include the brook lamprey, schneider, European bullhead and alpine bullhead. River trout and grayling are commonly found in the river. Protected animals that live on the river banks include the Eurasian otter and common kingfisher.

Tourism

The Olza is suitable for river tourism. The river is navigable for most of the year. Most of the river is suitable even for less experienced paddlers.

See also

• List of rivers of the Czech Republic
• List of rivers of Poland

References

1. ^ "Řeka Olše – beskydský tok pramenící v Polsku" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
2. ^ Gawrecki, Dan (1993). "Olza a Olše". Těšínsko (in Czech). 36 (2): 13–15.
3. "(1293-1297) Januar 31, Teschen". dokumentyslaska.pl (in German and Latin). Retrieved 2024-10-23.
4. "Věřňovice" (in Czech). Město Bohumín. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
5. ^ Cicha, Irena; Jaworski, Kazimierz; Ondraszek, Bronisław; Stalmach, Barbara; Stalmach, Jan (2000). Olza od pramene po ujście (in Polish). Český Těšín: Region Silesia. pp. 18, 21. ISBN 80-238-6081-X.
6. ^ "Národní plán povodí Odry pro období 2021–2027" (in Czech). Ministry of Agriculture. 2022. p. 5. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
7. ^ "Základní charakteristiky toku Olše a jeho povodí" (in Czech). T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
8. "Evidenční list hlásného profilu č.293" (in Czech). Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
9. ^ "Olše". Atlas vodních toků povodí Odry (in Czech). Povodí Odry, s.p. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
10. ^ "Vodní toky". Evidence hlásných profilů (in Czech). Czech Hydrometeorological Institute. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
11. ^ Universum – všeobecná encyklopedie (in Czech). Vol. 6. Prague: Odeon. 2001. p. 624. ISBN 80-207-1060-4.
12. ^ Kaczorowski, Bartłomiej, ed. (2004). Nowa encyklopedia Powszechna PWN (in Polish). Vol. VI. Warsaw: Polish Scientific Publishers PWN. p. 164.

External links

• River flow at Věřňovice station – Flood Warning and Forecasting Service of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute

v t e Tributaries of the Oder
Main tributaries of the left bank	Budišovka Čermná Opava Psina (Cyna) Cisek Olszówka Stradunia Osobłoga Nysa Kłodzka Oława Ślęza Bystrzyca Średzka Woda Cicha Woda Kaczawa Ślepca Zimnica Dębniak Biała Woda Czarna Struga Śląska Ochla Zimny Potok Bóbr Olcha Racza Lusatian Neisse Finow Canal Gręziniec Gunica
Main tributaries of the right bank	Suchá Luha Jičínka Sedlnice Lubina Ostravice Olza Ruda Bierawka Kłodnica Gliwice Canal Czarnka Mała Panew Stobrawa Widawa Jezierzyca Barycz Krzycki Rów Obrzyca Jablonna Pliszka Ołobok Gryżyński Potok Warta Myśla Kurzyca Stubia Rurzyca Tywa Płonia Ina Gowienica
Distributary	East Oder (Regalica) West Oder Szczecin Lagoon Dziwna Świna Peene
Cities	Ostrava Bohumín Racibórz Kędzierzyn-Koźle Krapkowice Opole Brzeg Oława Jelcz-Laskowice Wrocław Brzeg Dolny Ścinawa Szlichtyngowa Głogów Bytom Odrzański Nowa Sól Krosno Odrzańskie Eisenhüttenstadt Frankfurt (Oder) Słubice Lebus Kostrzyn nad Odrą Cedynia Schwedt Gartz Gryfino Szczecin Police

v t e Cieszyn Silesia
Municipalities in the Czech Republic	Albrechtice Bocanovice Bohumín Bruzovice Bukovec Bystřice Český Těšín Chotěbuz Dětmarovice Dolní Domaslavice Dolní Lomná Dolní Lutyně Dolní Tošanovice Dobrá Dobratice Doubrava Havířov Hnojník Horní Bludovice Horní Domaslavice Horní Lomná Horní Suchá Horní Tošanovice Hrádek Hrčava Jablunkov Janovice Kaňovice Karviná Komorní Lhotka Košařiska Krásná Lučina Malenovice Milíkov Morávka Mosty u Jablunkova Návsí Nižní Lhoty Nošovice Nýdek Orlová Pazderna Petrovice u Karviné Petřvald Písečná Písek Pražmo Pržno Raškovice Řeka Řepiště Ropice Rychvald Sedliště Šenov Smilovice Soběšovice Staré Město Stonava Střítež Těrlicko Třanovice Třinec Václavovice Vělopolí Vendryně Vojkovice Vratimov Vyšní Lhoty Žermanice partially in the region: Baška Frýdek-Místek Ostrava Staré Hamry
Municipalities in Poland	Bąków Bażanowice Bielowicko Biery Bładnice Brenna Bronów Brzezówka Chybie Cieszyn Cisownica Czechowice-Dziedzice Dębowiec Drogomyśl Dzięgielów Frelichów Godziszów Goleszów Górki Małe Górki Wielkie Grodziec Gumna Harbutowice Hażlach Iłownica Iskrzyczyn Istebna Jasienica Jaworze Jaworzynka Kaczyce Kiczyce Kisielów Kończyce Małe Kończyce Wielkie Koniaków Kostkowice Kowale Kozakowice Łączka Landek Łazy Leszna Górna Ligota Marklowice Górne Mazańcowice Międzyrzecze Dolne Międzyrzecze Górne Międzyświeć Mnich Ochaby Ogrodzona Pierściec Pogórze Pogwizdów Pruchna Puńców Roztropice Rudnik Rudzica Simoradz Skoczów Strumień Świętoszówka Ustroń Wieszczęta Wilamowice Wiślica Wisła Zabłocie Zaborze Zabrzeg Zamarski Zarzecze Zbytków Zebrzydowice partially in the region: Bielsko-Biała Bystra
Related articles	Cieszyn Silesia Euroregion Cieszyn Silesian dialect Duchy of Teschen Olza (river) Trans-Olza

v t e Silesia topics
History Offensives Uprisings Wars (First, Second, Third) 1921 Upper Silesia plebiscite Treaty of Dresden Treaty of Teschen Book of Henryków Battle of Legnica Battle of Leuthen more...
Geography Areas Jelenia Góra valley Kłodzko Valley Lower Silesian Wilderness Obniżenie Milicko-Głogowskie Ostrava Valley Oświęcim Basin Przedgórze Sudeckie Silesian Walls Silesian Foothills Silesian Lowlands Silesian Przesieka Silesian Upland Silesian-Lusatian Lowlands Silesian-Moravian Foothills Wał Trzebnicki Zielona Góra Acclivity Lakes Jezioro Goczałkowickie Jezioro Otmuchowskie Jezioro Sławskie Nyskie Slezská Harta Reservoir Mountains Carpathian Silesian Beskids Moravian-Silesian Beskids Sudetes Eastern Central Western Rivers Elbe Divoká Orlice Jizera Úpa Oder Barycz Bóbr Kaczawa Kłodnica Kwisa Liswarta Mała Panew Nysa Kłodzka Olza Ślęza Vistula Biała Brynica Gostynia Przemsza Pszczynka Rawa
Politics Subdivisions Former Duchies Piasts dukes Silesian Voivodeship (1920–39) parliament politicians treasury State country Silesia Province Upper Silesia Lower Silesia Sudetenland New Silesia Austrian Silesia Eastern Silesia Current Jeseník District Moravian–Silesian Region Niederschlesischer Oberlausitzkreis / Görlitz Voivodeships Lower Silesian Lubusz Voivodeships Opole Silesian EP constituencies Lower Silesian and Opole Silesian
Economy Socioeconomics Katowice urban area Metropolis GZM Katowice-Ostrava metropolitan area Industry Bielski Okręg Przemysłowy Legnicko-Głogowski Okręg Miedziowy Lower Silesian Coal Basin Upper Silesian Coal Basin Industrial Region Ostrava-Karviná / Rybnik Coal Areas Tourism Tourism
Society Culture Architecture Familŏk Regional costume Upper Silesian Museum Silesian Museum (Opava) Silesian Museum (Katowice) Cuisine Black noodles Bryja Panczkraut (ciapkapusta) Klōzki Galert Hauskyjza Karminadle Kołŏcz Kopalnioki Kreple Krupniok Makōwki Moczka Modrŏ kapusta Siymiyniotka Szałŏt Wodziōnka Żur Religion Evangelical Church in Berlin, Brandenburg and Silesian Upper Lusatia Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland Roman Catholic Church Pentecostal Church in Poland Sport Football Association Moravian–Silesian Football League National football team Silesian Stadium Languages Czech German Silesian German (Lower Silesian) Lach dialects Silesian Moravian Polish Symbols Coats of arms Flags Unofficial anthems Schlesien Unvergessene Heimat Schlesierlied Slezská hymna Other topics Demographics Landsmannschaft Schlesien Silesian Autonomy Movement Marsz Autōnōmije Silesians
Category

• Tributaries of the Oder
• Rivers of the Moravian-Silesian Region
• Rivers of Silesian Voivodeship
• Frýdek-Místek District
• Karviná District
• Silesian Beskids
• Cieszyn Silesia
• International rivers of Europe
• Czech Republic–Poland border
• Border rivers