Jeetzel

Jeetzel
The Jeetzel as it flows between Seerau and Hitzacker
Basin
Main source	Altmark
River mouth	Elbe 53°9′26″N 11°2′38″E / 53.15722°N 11.04389°ECoordinates: 53°9′26″N 11°2′38″E / 53.15722°N 11.04389°E
Countries	Germany
Physiognomy
Length	73 km (45 mi)

The river Jeetzel, which begins in the Altmark under the name Jeetze,^[1] flows from Saxony-Anhalt through Lower Saxony, in Germany. From its source near the village of Dönitz, it flows north through Beetzendorf, Salzwedel, Wustrow, Lüchow and Dannenberg, before joining the Elbe in Hitzacker. Its total length is 73 kilometres (45 mi).

A left tributary of the Elbe, the Jeetzel has itself several tributaries, including the Salzwedel Dumme and the Wustrow Dumme. The name is Slavic, and means ash (tree)-stream.

Historically, when the Elbe rose too high, it would flooded the Jeetzel, which flowed "backwards" and flooded the surrounding area. Today, a system of canals prevents such flooding.

References

1. Hans-Joachim Uhlemann and Martin Eckoldt, Kleine Nebenflüsse der Elbe oberhalb des Tidegebietes, published in Hans-Georg Braun's 1988 Flüsse und Kanäle.