The Linth (pronounced "lint") is a Swiss river that rises near the village of Linthal in the mountains of the canton of Glarus, and eventually flows into the Obersee section of Lake Zurich. It is about in length.

The water power of the Linth was a main factor in the creation of the textile industry of the canton Glarus, and is today used to drive the Linth–Limmern power stations in its upper reaches.

The river and its upper valley forms the boundary between the mountain ranges of the Glarus Alps, to its east and south, and the Schwyzer Alps, to its west. In its lower part, in the Linth plain (), the Linth Canal forms the boundary between the cantons of Glarus and St. Gallen and part of the boundary between the cantons of St. Gallen and Schwyz.

The river lends its name to the former canton of Linth (1798–1803).

Course of the river

thumb|left|The upper part of the Linth valley, with the river just visible to the bottom, the village of Linthal above, and the Biferten glacier at the top centre

The river rises to the south-west of the village of Linthal, at the foot the Tödi mountain (elevation ). It collects the water from several glaciers, including the Clariden Glacier and the Biferten Glacier, as well as various tributary streams, including the Oberstafelbach, the Bifertenbach, the Sandbach, the Walenbach and the Limmerenbach. The last of these is dammed to create the Limmerensee, a part of the Linth–Limmern hydro-electric scheme.

As a result of the river regulation works (see below), the river is today diverted down an artificial channel in an easterly direction into Lake Walen. Another artificial channel (the Linth Channel) then takes the outfall of Lake Walen at Weesen and flows west through the Linth Plain and into the Obersee.

See also

  • List of rivers of Switzerland

References

  • Doctoral Thesis of Daniel Speich, ETH Zurich (German)
  • Daniel Speich: The Linth Valley Hydro Engineering Scheme (1807-1823) and the Genesis of Swiss National Unity, Environment and History 8(2002) 429-447
  • the Linth valley on Google Maps