Oskava (river)

The Oskava is a river in the Czech Republic, a left tributary of the Morava River. It flows through the Olomouc Region. It is long.

Etymology

The name has its root in the Old High German word Askaha, which meant 'ash forest'.

Characteristic

The Oskava originates in the territory of Oskava in the Hanušovice Highlands at an elevation of and flows to Olomouc, where it enters the Morava River at an elevation of. It is long. Its drainage basin has an area of. The average discharge at its mouth is.
The longest tributaries of the Oskava are:

Tributary	Length	River km	Side
Sitka	36.6	0.8	left
Teplička	25.3	10.3	left
Oslava	20.8	24.9	left
Lukavice	13.5	18.2	right
Mýdlový potok	12.5	33.9	right
Říčí potok	12.4	5.3	left
Dražůvka	9.5	29.2	left

Only the lower course of the river is designated as a "significant watercourse" according to the law that defines the care of the water course.

Course

The most notable settlement on the river is the town of Uničov. The river also briefly flows in the territory of the city of Olomouc before its confluence with the Morava. The river flows through the municipal territories of Oskava, Šumvald, Libina, Šumvald, Nová Hradečná, Uničov, Želechovice, Pňovice, Žerotín, Liboš, Štěpánov, Štarnov and Olomouc.

Bodies of water

There are 225 bodies of water in the basin area. The largest of them is Chomoutovské jezero Lake with an area of. The Oskava also supplies two notable fishponds – Šumvaldský rybník with an area of and Dolní Libina with an area of.

Protection of nature

The Oskava originates in the Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area and leaves the protected area after. The lower course of the river flows along the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area, but never enters the protected area.