page_title: Isar
section_title: Geography
hierarchical_section_title: Isar / Geography
caption_attribution_description: Zusehen ist die Lage des Flusses Isar in Südbayern
context_page_description: The Isar is a river in Tyrol, Austria and Bavaria, Germany. Its source is in the Karwendel range of the Alps in Tyrol; it enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Bad Tölz, Munich, and Landshut before reaching the Danube near Deggendorf. At 295 km in length, it is the fourth largest river in Bavaria, after the Danube, Inn, and Main. It is Germany's second most important tributary of the Danube after the Inn.
context_section_description: The Isar drains a substantial part of the Alps and parts of the Karwendel mountains northeast towards the Danube river and thus finally towards the Black Sea. Apart from the larger tributaries Amper and Loisach many smaller rivers empty into the Isar, such as the Leutasch, the Jachen, the Dürrach, the Dorfen, the Sempt, the Pfettrach and the Gleirschbach. The drainage basin contains some 9,000 square kilometers  (3,500 square miles). During the winter most of the precipitation in the Alps falls as snow. This results in an increased water flow during the spring meltdown. It has an average discharge of 175 cubic meters (6,200 cubic feet) per second. This makes it comparable to other medium-sized rivers in Germany, like the Moselle, Lech or Main.
  The official head of the Isar is located in the Hinterau valley east of the village Scharnitz in the Karwendel mountains in Tyrol at a height above sea level of 1,160 metres (3,810 feet). In 2003 the Isar spring was “developed”, however, this move has been discussed due to environmental reasons. The Lavatschbach, which is the Isar’s longest headstream, has its source farther to the southeast near a mountain cabin named Hallangerhaus. It is also sometimes called the Isar’s head. Further on the young Isar is supplied water by the Birkkarbach, which has its source at the foot of the highest mountain of the Karwendel, the Birkkarspitze and the Moserkarbach.
  Having entered Upper Bavaria after ca. 22 km (14 mi) just north of Scharnitz, the Isar is dammed for the first time between Mittenwald and Krün. Some of its waters are led via the Rißbach, whose flowing direction was reversed for this purpose, into the Walchensee. Here it is fed into the giant downpipes of the Walchensee power plant. 200 metres lower the plant releases this part of the water into the Kochelsee. From here it flows into the river Loisach, Isar's second most important tributary. Not far down the river a large reservoir called Sylvensteinsee was created between 1954 and 1959 to make more energy generation possible and also to avoid flooding. It is located some 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Lenggries. It has prevented some bad floods in Munich, for example in 1979, 1999 and most important, in 2005. In that year for the first time ever water had to be released from the lake because its capacity was exhausted. Flooding was barely avoided in Munich, literally 'by the width of one hand'. At Bad Tölz the Isar leaves the Bavarian Alps. This town marks the river's transit from its upper to its middle course.
  It now flows through a sub-alpine, glacial morainic landscape towards Wolfratshausen. Just north of the town it absorbs the Loisach, including the water previously drained off for the power plant. The Isar continues on to and through the Munich gravel plain, into which it cuts a narrow, steeply sloped valley. The latter finally opens up and ends within the city limits of Munich. Further downstream the river passes Freising and then absorbs the waters of the Amper, its most important tributary, at Moosburg. This is where its lower course begins.
  Passing Landshut, the river makes its way through the Tertiary Hills of Lower Bavaria all the way into the Danube valley. Its mouth at the Danube some five kilometres away from Deggendorf is at 312 metres (1,024 feet) above sea level. Thus the Isar descends some 848 metres (2,782 feet) from its head to its mouth.
caption: Map of the Isar
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