Rur and Our

The Water's Journey from the High Fens to the North Sea

A geographical and creative journey through the river systems of the tri-border region:

1. The Rur-Meuse System (Westbound)

• Rur: Originates in the High Fens in Belgium and flows into the Netherlands, where it joins the Meuse near Roermond.

• Wurm: Originates from several springs in the Aachen city forest and flows north, where it joins the Rur.

• Urft: Originates in the Zitterwald forest in the North Eifel region and also flows into the Rur (after passing through the Urft Dam).

• Göhl: A tributary that originates near Aachen-Lichtenbusch and flows directly into the Meuse near Maastricht.

2. The Our-Rhine System (East/South)

• Our: Also originates in the High Fens. We have established that in Germany it was often spelled "Ur" in the past, but is now officially called "Our". It forms a long border river and flows into the Sauer near Wallendorf.

• Sauer: Originates in the Belgian Ardennes and flows on to Wasserbillig, where it flows into the Moselle.

• The Moselle originates at the Col de Bussang mountain pass in the municipality of Bussang. It flows to Koblenz and there joins the Rhine system.

Common Basin: Ultimately, both the Meuse and the Rhine flow into the North Sea, where the water from the High Fens rejoins them.

3. The High Fens River System

The High Fens is an important European watershed between the Meuse and the Rhine.

Size Comparison of the Main Rivers

| River | Length | Discharge (Mouth) | Characteristics |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

Ourthe | 165 km | ~ 55 m³/s | Most powerful river, originates in the Ardennes, tributaries of the Venn (55% 31 m³/s). |

Rur | 165 km | ~ 21 m³/s | True Venn river, flows into the Meuse (Netherlands). |

Our | 96 km | ~ 10 m³/s | Border river, flows into the Rhine (via the Sauer/Moselle). |

Hierarchical Tree of the Venn Rivers (List View)

Sorted by destination river system and mouth hierarchy.

• I. RUR (Meuse) SYSTEM

• Rur (Main River) (Mouths into: Meuse | Location: Roermond (NL))

• ↳ Inde (Mouths into: Rur | Location: Jülich)

• ↳ Vichtbach (Mouths into: Inde | Location: Stolberg)

• ↳ Dreilägerbach (Mouths into: Vichtbach | Location: Roetgen)

• ↳ Perlenbach (Schwalmbach) (Mouths into: Rur | Location: Monschau)

• ↳ Kall (Mouths into: Rur | Location: Nideggen-Zerkall)

• ↳ Wesebach (Mouths into: Kall | Location: Hürtgenwald)

• ↳ Olef (Mouths into: Urft (-> Rur) | Location: Schleiden-Gemünd)

• II. SYSTEM OURTHE (Meuse)

  • Ourthe (collection basin) (Flows into: Meuse | Location: Liège)
    • ↳ Amel (Amblève) (Flows into: Ourthe | Location: Comblain-au-Pont)
      • ↳ Warche (Flows into: Amel | Location: Malmedy (Bévercé))
        • ↳ Trôs Marets (Flows into: Warche | Location: Malmedy)
        • ↳ Bayehon (Flows into: Warche | Location: Robertville)
      • ↳ Eau Rouge (Flows into: Amel | Location: Stavelot)
    • ↳ Vesdre (Weser) (Flows into: Ourthe | Location: Liège (Chênée))
      • ↳ Hoëgne (Mouth into: Vesdre | Town: Pepinster)

• ↳ Wayai (Mouth into: Hoëgne | Town: Theux)

• ↳ Statte (Mouth into: Hoëgne | Town: Jalhay)

• ↳ Helle (Hill) (Mouth into: Vesdre | Town: Eupen)

• ↳ Soor (Mouth into: Helle | Town: Eupen (Baelen))

• ↳ Gileppe (Mouth into: Vesdre | Town: Limbourg)

• ↳ Getzbach (Mouth into: Vesdre | Town: Eupen)

• III. SYSTEM Our and Kyll (Moselle->Rhine)

• Our (Main River) (Mouths into: Sauer (-> Moselle) | Location: Wallendorf)

• Kyll (Mouths into: Moselle (-> Rhine) | Location: Trier)

The Musical Piece: Where the Sky Kisses the Land

Lyrics:

High up in the Fens, where the sky kisses the land, springs forth a silent spirit, not yet knowing who it is.

A drop that has the choice to see the West, or to take the long road to the East.

The High Fens, the cradle of peat and light, shares the fate of the rivers, yet the source does not break.

Oh, the one path leads to the Meuse and the Rhine, to be united in the great delta at the end.

Two hearts of rain, separated by the moor,

call forth the North Sea on the horizon.

(The North Sea...)

The Rur rushes through Roermond, the Wurm from the forest,

the Urft from the Eifel, where the rock echoes.

They gather the burden of the cities, the pride of Aachen,

before they come to rest in the Meuse delta.

A dance with the current, a pact with the sand,

from the hill country deep into the Dutch countryside.

But the Our chooses the Sauer, an arc so wide,

through green Ardennes, steeped in time.

The Our chooses the Sauer, it flows through the night,

until the Moselle receives it, the Moselle the power.

At Koblenz, at the Deutsches Eck, where history begins,

it embraces the Rhine, as the child now embraces the wind.

Oh, the one path leads to the Meuse and the Rhine, to be united in the great delta at the end.

Two hearts of rain, separated by the moor, call forth the North Sea on the horizon.

(The North Sea...)

It doesn't matter how long the journey was, whether Meuse or Rhine, whether murky or clear.

Every drop returns home, every arc becomes round, in the salty expanse at the estuary's bottom.

At the estuary's bottom...

(Mmm-mmm-mmm) Welcome home.