Salzach

a river in Austria (the lower reaches are on the border between Austria and the Federal Republic of Germany), a right tributary of the Inn River (the Danube basin). Length, 220 km; basin area, 6,800 sq km. It is the main (left) tributary of the Salach River. In its upper reaches the Salzach flows to the east in a longitudinal mountain valley between the Hohe Tauern and Kitzbühler Alps, then turns sharply to the north, and cuts through the Salzburg Alps onto the Bavarian plateau, across which it flows to its mouth. It is fed by snow and rain. There is high water in summer and low water in winter. The average discharge at the mouth is 260 cu m per sec, and the highest is 2,500–2,900 cu m per sec. The river is navigable to the city of Hallein. There are several hydroelectric power plants on the river. The cities of Hallein, Salzburg (Austria), and Burghausen (the Federal Republic of Germany) are located on the Salzach.