Smědá
title: "Smědá" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rivers-of-the-liberec-region", "rivers-of-the-czech-republic", "rivers-of-poland", "rivers-of-lower-silesian-voivodeship", "czech-republic–poland-border", "international-rivers-of-europe", "border-rivers"] topic_path: "geography/poland" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smědá" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Smědá |
| image | Frýdlant, Smědá, povodeň 2010, důsledky 08.jpg |
| image_caption | The Smědá in Frýdlant |
| source1_location | Hejnice, Jizera Mountains |
| source1_coordinates | |
| mouth_location | Lusatian Neisse |
| mouth_coordinates | |
| progression | |
| subdivision_type1 | Countries |
| subdivision_name1 | |
| subdivision_type2 | Regions/ |
| Voivodeships | |
| subdivision_name2 | |
| length_km | 55.3 |
| source1_elevation | 1000 m |
| mouth_elevation | 194 m |
| discharge1_avg | 4.21 m3/s near the Czech-Polish border |
| basin_size_km2 | 331 |
| :: |
| name = Smědá | image = Frýdlant, Smědá, povodeň 2010, důsledky 08.jpg | image_caption = The Smědá in Frýdlant | source1_location = Hejnice, Jizera Mountains | source1_coordinates = | mouth_location = Lusatian Neisse | mouth_coordinates = | progression = | subdivision_type1 = Countries | subdivision_name1 = | subdivision_type2 = Regions/ Voivodeships | subdivision_name2 = | length_km = 55.3 | source1_elevation = 1000 m | mouth_elevation = 194 m | discharge1_avg = 4.21 m3/s near the Czech-Polish border | basin_size_km2 = 331 The Smědá (; , ) is a river in the Czech Republic and Poland, a right tributary of the Lusatian Neisse River. It flows through the Liberec Region in the Czech Republic and then through Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Together with the Bílá Smědá, which is its main source, the Smědá is 55.3 km long. Without the Bílá Smědá, it is 51.9 km long.
Etymology
The initial name of the river was Wietev, derived from the Slavic word for 'branch' (in modern Czech větev). The oldest mention of Wietev is from 1539. The German name Wittig was derived from this name. In 1951, the German name was replaced by Witka in Poland. The modern Czech name Smědá ('dark' in old Czech) is derived from the dark water which flows out of the peat bogs.
Characteristic
The Smědá originates as Bílá Smědá in peat pogs in the territory of Hejnice in the Jizera Mountains at an elevation of exactly 1000 m. After it merges with the stream Černá Smědá (and from a broader point of view with the Hnědá Smědá, which joins the Černá Smědá) and further continues as Smědá. It flows to Radomierzyce, where it enters the Lusatian Neisse River at an elevation of 194 m. Its total length is 55.3 km. Without the Bílá Smědá, the Smědá is 51.9 km long, of which 47.8 km (including the Czech-Polish border) is in the Czech Republic. About 2.7 km forms the Czech-Polish state border. The drainage basin has an area of 331 km2, of which 251.3 km2 is in the Czech Republic.
The sources and longest tributaries of the Smědá are: ::data[format=table]
| Tributary | Length (km) | Side |
|---|---|---|
| Řasnice | 18.3 | right |
| Lomnice | 17.0 | right |
| Bulovský potok | 15.4 | right |
| Sloupský potok | 9.8 | left |
| Bílá Smědá | 3.4 | – |
| Černá Smědá | 2.5 | right |
| :: |
Flow
The river flows through the territories of Hejnice, Bílý Potok, Raspenava, Frýdlant, Kunratice, Višňová and Černousy in the Czech Republic and Zawidów, Gmina Sulików and Gmina Zgorzelec in Poland.
Bodies of water
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Witka_Talsperre_Polen.JPG" caption="New dam of the Niedów Reservoir"] ::
In Poland, the Niedów Reservoir (also called Witka Reservoir) is constructed on the Smědá. It was built in 1958–1962 and is used as a recreational area. In 2010, the dam burst due to flash floods. The new dam was built in 2016.
Fauna
Fish living in the river include river trout and brook trout.
Protection of nature
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/PR_Meandry_Smědé_(3).jpg" caption="Meandry Smědé Nature Reserve"] ::
The final section of the river within the limits of the Czech Republic is protected as the Meandry Smědé ('Smědá meanders') Nature Reserve. It has an area of 136.6 ha. The object of protection is the natural character of the river bed with meanders, pools and wet meadows, with a large number of protected plant and animal species.
References
References
- "Smědava". Okolí Liberce.
- "Zarządzenie nr 115 Prezesa Rady Ministrów z dnia 1 czerwca 1951 r. w sprawie przywrócenia i ustalenia urzędowych nazw rzecznych śląskiej części dorzecza Odry i Łaby.". Internetowy System Aktów Prawnych.
- "Povodňový plán obce Černousy: Hydrologické údaje". Elektronický digitální povodňový portál.
- Škeříková, Martina. (2015-09-10). "Obnovený úsek řeky Smědé se otvírá".
- "Základní charakteristiky toku Smědá a jeho povodí". T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute.
- "Vodní toky". [[Czech Hydrometeorological Institute]].
- Vančatová, Jana. (2016-08-07). "I Polsko má svou protrženou přehradu - jezero Niedów na řece Witce, kilometr od české hranice". Novinky.cz.
- "Meandry Smědé". Nature Conservation Agency of the Czech Republic.
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