Ilmenau (river)

Ilmenau is a river south of Hamburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Ilmenau
The Ilmenau near Uelzen
Location
Country	Germany
State	Lower Saxony
Reference no.	DE: 594
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	source: confluence of the Gerdau and Stederau in Veerßen (a district of Uelzen)
• coordinates	52°56′52″N 10°33′13″E
• elevation	35 m above sea level (NN)  (Gerdau 70 m above NN, Stederau 66 m above NN)
Mouth
• location	near Hoopte (a district of Winsen (Luhe)), into the Elbe
• coordinates	53°23′44″N 10°10′25″E
• elevation	2 m above sea level (NN)
Length	121.5 km (75.5 mi) [1]
Basin size	2,850 km2 (1,100 sq mi) [1]
Discharge
• average	17.7 m3/s (630 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Elbe→ North Sea
Landmarks	Large towns: Uelzen, Lüneburg, Winsen (Luhe) Small towns: Bad Bevensen, Bardowick Villages: Emmendorf, Medingen, Bienenbüttel, Melbeck, Deutsch Evern, Wittorf, Fahrenholz, Mover (both districts of Drage), Tönnhausen, Stöckte, Hoopte
Tributaries
• left	Bienenbütteler Mühlenbach, Barnstedt Melbecker Bach, Hasenburger Mühlenbach, Luhe
• right	Wipperau, Röbbelbach, Wohbeck, Vierenbach, Dieksbach, Neetze Canal, Neetze, Ilau-Schneegraben
Navigable	28.84 km (17.92 mi)

The Ilmenau originates in the Lüneburg Heath, south of Uelzen, as confluence of the rivers Gerdau and Stederau in Veerßen, a district of Uelzen. It is a left tributary of the Elbe near Winsen (Luhe).

The Ilmenau is 121 kilometres (75 mi) long, including its source river Stederau. The largest towns along the Ilmenau are Uelzen and Lüneburg. The city Ilmenau in Thuringia is not along the river Ilmenau but along the river Ilm. The river is navigable from Lüneburg, but almost exclusively used by excursion ships. Above Lüneburg, the river is popular with canoeists.[2]