Töss (river)

Töss near Bauma

The Töss [ tø ː s] is a river in the east of the canton of Zurich in Switzerland. It rises in the Zürcher Oberland in the area of the mountains Tössstock and Schnebelhorn at Gibswil and flows through the Tösstal the north. When it opens at the depths Tössegg into the Rhine.

The scenery around the 57 -kilometer-long river Töss are very different in the upper and lower valley. In the upper catchment area is the Tössbergerland in which the Töss and its tributaries during the Ice Age, which had brought the hill country free of ice, began to incise built in from the conglomerate and sandstone ( molasses ) underground. So here was a strange mountains with only a very narrow main valley, but tobel like side valleys and elevated terraces. The wild landscape, settled in the forested mountain solitude among others Tibetans (eg in the area of Rikon, which includes the Founded in 1968, Tibet Institute Rikon is located), today is a little contrary to the " tamed " Töss they took to meander through a 1876 run flux correction possible.

From Winterthur, the landscape changes considerably. Through the work of the Ice Age glaciers here the gentler molasses rolling hills alternate with the broad, stuffed gravel and clay bottom. The densely forested, by the strong and deep Zertalung for agriculture hardly suitable Tössbergerland a poor agricultural country until well into modern times remained, in which people were able to earn just by Flössholz and charcoal making some extra money.

It was only introduced in the 17th century cotton mill created a good livelihood, resulting in a population increase and thus a stronger settlement moved to themselves, so that developed this area one of the most industrialized regions in Switzerland. The force -giving Töss allowed operation of cotton mills, but only reluctantly went over to factory work. So it came from the mid-19th century to the reverse trend, namely that pulled the mechanization of weaving a depopulation of mountain areas by themselves. Many of the extensive forests of today are due to afforestation of meadows and pastures that time.

The lower Tösstal contrast is between Irchel and Dättenberg, the steep bank slopes form a transport barrier. Due to its deep position but here agriculture could traditionally trained and the sunlit slopes provided since time immemorial a good basis for viticulture.

After Töss a district of Winterthur is named, which is drained by the river, see Töss (Winterthur)

Tributaries of the Töss are the Eulach and Kempt.