The Divoká Orlice (Polish: Dzika Orlica, German: Wilde Adler) is a river in the Czech Republic and Poland. It flows through Lower Silesian Voivodeship in Poland and through the Hradec Králové and Pardubice regions. It is the upper and middle course of the Orlice, but usually it is considered a separate river. Until its confluence with the Tichá Orlice, when it further continues as the Orlice, the Divoká Orlice is 99.3 km (61.7 mi) long.
Etymology
The name Orlice is derived from the Slavic word orel, i.e. 'eagle' (literally "female eagle"). The river probably got its name from the abundance of eagles, but it could also have just been the accidental catch of an eagle. The attribute divoká means 'wild' and refers to its character (compared to Tichá Orlice, i.e. "silent Orlice"). The Divoká Orlice was also called Dravá Orlice (i.e. 'ferocious', 'fierce').[1][2]
From a water management point of view, the Orlice and Divoká Orlice are two different rivers with separate numbering of river kilometres. The Divoká Orlice originates in the territory of Szczytna in the Bystrzyckie Mountains at an elevation of 802 m (2,631 ft) and then flows to Žďár nad Orlicí, where it merges with the Tichá Orlice River at an elevation of 249 m (817 ft) and continues as Orlice. It is 99.3 km (61.7 mi) long, of which 3.2 km (2.0 mi) (excluding the Czech-Polish border) is in Poland. It forms the state boundary for a distance of 29.5 km (18.3 mi)[3] and separates the Bystrzyckie Mountains and Orlické Mountains. Its drainage basin has an area of 806.5 km2 (311.4 sq mi), of which 705.9 km2 (272.5 sq mi) is in the Czech Republic.[4][5]
The longest tributaries of the Divoká Orlice are:[6]
There are 376 bodies of water in the basin area. The largest of them is Pastviny I Reservoir with an area of 63 ha (160 acres), built directly on the Divoká Orlice.[4]
Tourism
The Divoká Orlice is suitable for river tourism and belongs to the rivers suitable for less experienced paddlers.[7]
