Vejle River
| Vejle River | |
|---|---|
Bridge over Vejle River in downtown Vejle
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| Native name | Vejle Å |
| Other name(s) | Sønderåen ("South River") |
| Country | Denmark |
| Region | Region of Southern Denmark |
| Municipality | Vejle Municipality |
| Basin features | |
| Main source |
Engelsholm Lake 55°43′00″N 9°18′26″E / 55.7168°N 9.30730°E |
| River mouth |
Vejle Fjord 55°42′04″N 9°33′25″E / 55.7012°N 9.5570°ECoordinates: 55°42′04″N 9°33′25″E / 55.7012°N 9.5570°E |
| Tributaries |
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| Inland ports | Vejle |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Length | 32 km (20 mi) |
Vejle River (Danish: Vejle Å, also called Sønderåen, "South River") is an approximately 32-kilometre-long (20 mi) river in Vejle Municipality in Denmark. Its source is Engelsholm Lake near the village of Nørup. It first runs south to converge with the Egtved River near the village of Egtved, then flows northeast for 20 kilometres (12 mi) through the Vejle River Valley (Danish: Vejle Ådal) until it reaches the city of Vejle. There, the river meets the Grejs River and then empties into Vejle Fjord. Vejle River Valley and Vejle Fjord together form the longest tunnel valley in eastern Jutland. The lower river has an urban character where it runs through downtown Vejle, while the upper river is rural and is used for fishing and recreation.
Vejle River Valley forms a continuous geological feature with Vejle Fjord, and together the valley and fjord make up the longest tunnel valley in eastern Jutland, with a length of about 40 km (25 mi) and a width of up to 2 km (1.2 mi). The shape of the current valley was formed during the last glacial period, the Weichselian glaciation, which ended approximately 11,600 years ago. Before that, there was already a valley in the same location, with a ground that consisted primarily of mica-rich quartz sand dating back to the Miocene.
During the Weichsel, glaciers advanced from the east, moving up the existing valley. Meltwater from the glacier eroded the valley, shaping it into a tunnel valley. The glacier deposited sand, silt, and clay, and in most places flattened the valley floor. However, in a few locations (near Vork and Vingsted), the ice stopped and began to retreat, leaving behind hilly terminal moraines.
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