Why is the River Rhine so Important?

It's history and uses in the present day.

 

The Rhine and the Danube formed most of the northern inland frontier of the Roman Empire and since those days, the Rhine has been a vital and navigable waterway carrying trade and goods deep inland. The many castles and fortifications along the Rhine testify its importance. Many tourists, each year, go for River Rhine cruises. The River Rhine cannot be used as drinking water because of the chemical spill which took place in 1986, but programmes are trying to get the River Rhine to be used as drinking water since the 2000.

• The Rhine became massively polluted during the late 19th century and 20th century. A fire in a chemical plant in Basel, Switzerland in 1986, caused vast amounts of toxic waste to be released into the river. This caused fish pollutions to go down, but it also lead to the Rhine Action Programme being set up. Today pollution levels are much lower and salmon have returned to some parts of the River Rhine.

 

    GLOSSARY   

      Vital=absolutely necessary; essential.

        Navigable=(of a waterway or sea) able to be sailed on by                               ships or boats.