Erft, Tributary river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The Erft is a tributary that flows roughly 106 kilometers through North Rhine-Westphalia. It starts near Nettersheim in the Eifel foothills and eventually reaches the Rhine at Neuss.
The river's path changed significantly during the 1900s because of large-scale coal mining in the Hambach area. This mining shaped how water flows and transformed the landscape along the entire course.
The river shapes how local communities manage water and agriculture across the region. It connects different towns and remains important to the identity of farmers and residents who live along its banks.
You can access the river at various points along different towns in the region. Spring and summer are better times to explore, as water levels tend to be lower then.
In 2021, extreme rainfall caused flooding and a 40-hectare sinkhole to collapse in Erftstadt. This event revealed the power of water and highlighted how climate changes affect the region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
