Erft

The Erft (pronounced [ʔɛɐ̯ft]) is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows through the foothills of the Eifel, and joins the Lower Rhine (left tributary). Its origin is near Nettersheim, and its mouth in Neuss-Grimlinghausen south of the Josef Cardinal Frings Bridge. The river is 106.6 kilometres (66.2 mi) long, which is significantly shorter than it was originally. Due to the open-pit mining of lignite in the Hambacher Loch, the flow of the river had to be changed.

Erft
Lower reaches of the Erft near Bergheim
Cours of the river Erft
Location
Country	Germany
State	North Rhine-Westphalia
Reference no.	DE: 274
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Southeast of Engelgau as the Kuhbach Signed source of the Erft near Holzmülheim
• coordinates	50°29′14″N 6°35′14″E
• elevation	527 m above sea level (NHN)
Mouth
• location	Rhine near Neuss-Grimlinghausen
• coordinates	51°11′04″N 6°43′54″E
• elevation	31 m above sea level (NHN)
Length	106.6 km (66.2 mi) (incl. Kuhbach)[1]
Basin size	1,837.915 km2 (709.623 sq mi) [1]
Discharge
• location	at Neubrück gauge[2]
• average	16.4 m3/s (580 cu ft/s)
• minimum	Record low: 5.15 m3/s (182 cu ft/s) (in 16.07.2007) Average low: 10.4 m3/s (370 cu ft/s)
• maximum	Average high: 31.3 m3/s (1,110 cu ft/s) Record high: 46.6 m3/s (1,650 cu ft/s) (in 04.06.1984)
Basin features
Progression	Rhine→ North Sea
Landmarks	Cities: Neuss Large towns: Euskirchen, Erftstadt, Bedburg, Bergheim, Grevenbroich, Kerpen Small towns: Bad Münstereifel
Tributaries
• left	Veybach, Rotbach, Neffelbach
• right	Swist, Gillbach, Norfbach

The Erft gave its name to the town of Erftstadt, through which it flows, as well as to the Rhein-Erft district. It also flows through the towns of Bad Münstereifel, Euskirchen, Bergheim, Bedburg and Grevenbroich.