Alf | |
Map: | Alf (rivière).png |
Map Size: | 280px |
Subdivision Type1: | Country |
Subdivision Name1: | Germany |
Subdivision Type2: | State |
Subdivision Name2: | Rhineland-Palatinate |
Subdivision Type3: | Reference no. |
Subdivision Name3: | DE: 268 |
Length: | 51.879 km |
Source1 Location: | North of Darscheid |
Mouth Location: | Near Alf into the Moselle |
Basin Landmarks: | Villages: Darscheid, Gillenfeld, Strohn, Bausendorf, Kinderbeuern, Bengel, Alf |
Basin Size: | 358.146 km2 |
Tributaries Right: | Irlenbach, Sammetbach, Demichbach, Elterbach, Hoegbach, Ilbach, Erbach, Scherbach, |
Tributaries Left: | Laubach, Diefenbach, Holzbach, Salzbach, Olkenbach, Ewesbach, Kammerbach, Udelsbach, Saalsbach, Üßbach |
Custom Label: | References |
The Alf is a small river in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, a left tributary of the Moselle. It rises in the Eifel, near Darscheid, east of Daun. The Alf flows south through Mehren, Gillenfeld and Bausendorf, where it turns east to flow into the Moselle at the village of Alf.
The Alf rises about 1km (01miles) northeast of Hörscheid in the Volcanic Eifel. From its source at a height of 549m (1,801feet), the Alf initially flows in a southerly direction to the village of Darscheid, from which it flows to the east through the villages of Gillenfeld and Strohn. The next section of the Alf, to Bausendorf, is very winding; it then turns towards the east and cuts through the south of the forest of Kondelwald, passing the villages of Kinderbeuern and Bengel. Around 3.5km (02.2miles) beyond Bengel it changes course abruptly and swings north. A ridge prevents it from flowing further east unto the Moselle, here just 500m (1,600feet) away. After breaking through the Moselle Hills the Alf finally reaches the Moselle at Alf (Cochem-Zell) at a height of 95m (312feet). Along its 53km (33miles) course from source to mouth, the Alf descends through 454m (1,490feet), giving it an average river bed gradient of 8.6‰.