Mulde

a river in the German Democratic Republic, a left tributary of the Elbe. Formed by the confluence of the Zwickauer Mulde and Freiberger Mulde rivers. Length from the source of the Zwickauer Mulde, 252 km; basin area, 7,200 sq km (part of the Mulde basin is in Czechoslovakia). The Mulde rises in the Erzgebirge and flows primarily over a hilly plain. It has abundant water in the winter and spring. The mean flow rate at the mouth is 67 cu m per sec. The Muldenberg Reservoir, with a capacity of approximately 6 million cu m, is on the Zwickauer Mulde. A hydroelectric power plant is located on the river, which is used for floating logs. The cities of Eilenburg and Dessau are on the Mulde.