Risden River
| Risden | |
|---|---|
Risden River | |
| Origin | Thuvian mountains |
| Mouth | Deerhood Bay |
| Basin countries | Keeslandia, Mikitivity, Schnauzer Dominions, Sober Thought |
| Length | ? |
| Source elevation | 2,700 m |
| Avg. discharge | 2,800 cu.m/s |
| Watershed area | ? |
The Risden River is one of the major rivers of the International Democratic Union. With headwaters in the Thuvian mountains it carries southward a large portion of the mountain range's snowmelt down to the Deerhood Bay estuary, making it both an important source of freshwater to Sober Thought and transportation through the mountains in Mikitivity and the Schnauzer Dominions to neighboring Keeslandia to the north. The river is the international boundary between Mikitivity and the Schnauzer Dominions. Due to the heavy precipitation in its headwaters, the river's annual discharge is very large for a long river with such a small watershed.
It is also known as fleuve d'Honte in the French speaking regions of Sober Thought. The name Risden is a corruption of the original French name which roughly translates into English as the River of Shame, in reference to the cold waters of the upper reaches of the river. The steep slopes associated with a significant portion of the watershed cause frequent flash floods.
Contents
Geography / Course
Headwaters
The upper portion of the Risden River forms the majority of the northern and western border of Mikitivity. With its headwaters in Mikitivity's Aslan canton, located in the middle of the Thuvian mountains, glacier melt represents a significant portion of the river's year round flow. In the upper watershed, several tributary rivers join the Risden, as the near freezing river turns from flowing north, to head to the west, where it eventually feeds the Oberer and Unterer Limmatsee (Upper and Lower Limmat Lakes).
Tributaries / Canals / Lakes
The following rivers are tributaries to the Risden River:
- Vaud
- Chur
- Decker
The following lakes are part of the Risden watershed:
- Oberer Limmatsee (Mikitivity)
- Unterer Limmatsee (Mikitivity)
- lac Pennance (Mikitivity / Sober Thought)
- Deerhood Bay (Sober Thought)
Confluence / Destination
In its middle watershed the river serves at the political boarder between Mikitivity and the Schnauzer Dominions, though it is common for communities along the river to be socially and economically integrated. In its lower watershed, the Risden River makes its way to lac Pennace on the border between Mikitivity and Sober Thought and then continues to the Deerhood Bay in Sober Thought.
Physical Characteristics
Hydrology / Runoff
Since rainfall in this part of the International Democratic Union is highest in the winter months, warmer storm events in the late Spring frequently result in flash floods in the upper Risden watershed. Glacier melt in the late summer provides a steady and signficant base flow to the river.
Geology
Water Quality
Ecology
The Risden is the home to several species of fish such as the Sober Though salmon and Musk Pike. Marine animals such as whales and sea lions are occasionally found hundreds of miles inland after having searched for food (such as the salmon) and then losing track how to get back. In the upper watersheds, other species of fish have adapted to the low temperatures and poor oxygen conditions associated with the winter ice flows.
Economics
Though numerous low head power supply dams obstruct flow along the Risden, locks and fish ladders allow commerical, recreational, and fish passage. Ocean going ships can reach as far north as southern Mikitivity and the eastern end of the Schnauzer Dominions and smaller river barges can travel as far north as Keeslandia. Small boats are capable of traversing as far upstream as Mesoic, Mikitivity in the summer and fall, but ice derbis makes travel in many of the upstream reaches dangerous in the late winter and early spring.
Fishing
Water Supply (Agriculture / Urban)
As the major source of water into lac Penance, Risden water is used to supplement rain fed agriculture in Thuvia, Sober Thought. However, in its upper watersheds, the growing season is two short and the soil unsuitable for agriculture, thus leaving the vast majority of the river's flow decidated to power generation, in-stream environmental and recreational uses, and urban drinking water supplies.
A significant source of the local water supply actually comes from above streamflow and shallow aquifiers. Communities along the river typically divert only small amounts of the river flow to supplement their stream based supplies. Since the river flow is large and the need for water small, there are very few large reservoirs along the river.
Waste water is treated before discharging it back into the river. This includes both water that might have been diverted from the river or the stream water that was originally going to feed the river.
Power Supply
The low head dams on the Risden generate more than enough electricity for the towns and villages built in the valley the river cut through the mountains. The dams are low enough that there is no significant backwater or temperature impacts, however, due to the steep slope of the river and its large flowrates, these dams are capable of producing ample electricity. The base flow of the Risden River is more than adequate to meet peak electricity demands for most of the nations in the Risden watershed. During flood events, excess water bypasses these low head dams via separate spillways.
The nations along the Risden watershed have entered an international agreement known as the Risden Compact, in which Mikitivity operates and distributes electricity generated from the low head dams to Keeslandia, Mikitivity, the Schnauzer Dominions, and Sober Thought at cost. Excess power is also used by Mikitivity Bahn, which also provides intercity, regional, and local rail service in Risden Compact member states.
Tourism
Starting from Miervatia City, tourists can take day long tours on the Scholss Fluss Weg (which translates into Castle River Route) and enjoy the numerous castles and flood watch towers built above the Risden. The cold temperatures of the upper Risden reaches in late fall and winter limit most human recreational activities to shore fishing. However, at the height of summer, the upper reaches attract many smaller recreational boating activities such as kayaking and canoeing.
Historical / Political Significance
Cities / Villages
The Risden flows through the following communities:
- Mesoic (Aslan, Mikitivity)
- Miervatia City (Miervatia, Mikitivity)
- Frohdorf (Miervatia, Mikitivity)
- Grupta (Nickenstein, Mikitvity)
Cultural
Archeological digs along the Risden date human activities along the river to c. 500 B.C. Permanent settlements along the river, starting near Deerhood Bay, Sober Thought, progressively moved upstream over the years into what was less and less hospitable terrain, reaching as far north as Grupta, Mikitivity. Life in the upper reaches of the Risden was particularly difficult compared to the relative comfort of its estuaries, hence leading to its earliest recorded name: fleuve d’Honte, or the River of Shame. People whom were disgraced and forced to move into the Thuvians, found some refuge living in d’Honte’s deep valleys.
Even life in the river valleys was difficult. Flash floods plagued many of the early northern settlements, forcing these small communities to actually live on the sides of the valley walls. While numerous streams provided ample drinking water for the villages overlooking the river, it was necessary to still necessary for the watermills to be located on the river’s banks. Many villagers would climb down to the river to farm and mill, but back up towards the villages a night. Surplus food supplies were limited.
The flash floods did, however, benefit these valley communities, by providing them with an ample source of well-graded aggregate for building early paved roads, in addition to safe stone buildings. Villages on the southern most foothills of the river valley became an important source of building material for more densely populated farming communities south of lac Pennance. This stone trade began to result in some cultural differences between the people mining the river beds for building materials and their farming ancestors to the south, and enabled human settlement of the river valley to push northward to Miervatia City, Mikitivity.
As permanent settlements were established further north, roads paralleling the Risden upstream were built and the villages of the upper watershed began working together in times of flood. A series of monitoring wells were built near most watermills, and a series castle towers were placed on the mountainsides such that the towers could see both the monitoring well and the next tower downstream. When flood waters would begin to rise at one village, signal fires at the nearest tower would be lit to warn communities downstream of dangerous flood conditions.
In return for providing what was one of the earliest flood monitoring programs, downstream communities built better roads for the upstream communities. These roads pushed human exploration further north into the d’Honte valley and beyond to Keeslandia and the northern Thuvian foothills. Travel through the Thuvians to Keeslandia became economical when barge traffic would travel up the Risden in late summer carrying large amounts of spice, tea, and dye to be stored in Miervatia City. Smaller trade caravans would then head northward along the d’Honte to Keeslandia. Large numbers of Keeslandians moved into the communities along the river, bringing with them a new name for the river – the Risden.
Military
For centuries ice debris from the upper watershed of the river made military traffic and large scale mills impractical. However, in the late summer and early fall, the river was safe for passage and became a stragetic corridor from Miervatia City to Mesoic.
