The Ourthe (also known as Urt in German) is a river in the east of the Belgian Ardennes. It originates in the province of Luxembourg from two source rivers that join on the border of the municipalities of La Roche-en-Ardenne and Houffalize. The Ourthe is the most water-rich tributary of the Meuse.
The 49.5 km long Ourthe Occidentale (western Urt) rises a good 506 m above sea level near the village of Ourt in the municipality of Libramont-Chevigny (♁49° 55′ 31″ N, 5° 26′ 23″ E) and then flows through the municipalities of Sainte-Ode and Tenneville. It is the source river with the most water (MQ = 7.2 m³/s). The 38.7 km long Ourthe Orientale (eastern Urt) rises 510 m above sea level between Ourthe, Deiffelt and Beho (♁50° 12′ 09″ N, 5° 59′ 43″ E), the three traditionally German-speaking villages in the municipality of Gouvy. In addition to Gouvy, it flows through the municipality of Houffalize and its main town. The union has been located in the reservoir of the Barrage de Nisramont since 1958, water level about 275 m above sea level. The Ourthe then flows first northwest, then northeast to the confluence of the Amel (French Amblève), from there north and after 165 km flows into the Meuse on the right bank near Liège. Below the confluence of the two source rivers, the following towns are located on the Ourthe: La Roche-en-Ardenne, Hotton (with the Hotton caves - famous karst cave), Durbuy (the centre of one of the smallest towns in the world), Comblain-au-Pont (also with a cave) and Esneux. The lower reaches of the Ourthe are navigable, but since the 1920s only a few ships have used them. The Ourthe department, which existed from 1795 to 1815, was named after the river. The three most important tributaries of the Ourthe come from the right: the Aisne (not to be confused with the much larger French Aisne), the Amel (French: Amblève) and the Weser (French: Vesdre).
Translated by Google •
In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!