The name is derived from the Slavic word strop. While in modern Czech the word means 'ceiling', its earlier meaning is unclear. According to one theory, it was the name given to the log on which the water wheel rested, and the name could reflect the presence of many watermills on the river. The settlements Stropnice (formerly a market town, today called Horní Stropnice), Dlouhá Stropnice (today part of Horní Stropnice) and Stropnice (today Dolní Stropnice, part of Římov) were named after the river.[1]
Characteristic
The Stropnice originates in the territory of Moorbad Harbach in the Gratzen Mountains at the elevation of 860 m (2,820 ft) and flows to Doudleby, where it enters the Malše River at the elevation of 412 m (1,352 ft). It is 58.9 km (36.6 mi) long, of which 58.4 km (36.3 mi) is in the Czech Republic (including the 850 m (2,790 ft) stretch that partly forms the Austrian-Czech border). Its drainage basin has an area of 402.4 km2 (155.4 sq mi), of which 386.9 km2 (149.4 sq mi) is in the Czech Republic.[2][3]
The middle course of the river flows through the Třeboň Basin, which is known for abundance of fishponds. There are 929 bodies of water in the basin area. The largest of them is the fishpond Žárský with an area of 95.2 ha (235 acres), located on the Žárský potok.[2] The Humenice Reservoir is built on the Stropnice. It was built in 1985–1988 on an area of 15.6 ha (39 acres). The main purpose is the protection of agricultural land.[4]
Tourism
The Stropnice is occasionally suitable for river tourism, but only in spring after heavy rains or melting snow.[5]