Anterior Rhine

The Anterior Rhine is a river in Switzerland, and is one of the two main sources of the Rhine. It begins in the Glarus Alps and flows towards Reichenau, where it meets its counterpart, the Posterior Rhine.

Course
The Anterior Rhine is formed from a number of source streams in the Surselva region of the Swiss canton of Grissons. The primary stream is considered to be the Rein da Tuma, which begins at the small Lake Toma. The mountain stream runs broadly north-eastwards through forested gorges to Disentis, where it is joined by its second significant source stream, the Rein da Medel (the longest headwater of the Rhine). Here, the valley floor opens up and the river recieves water from, in turn, the Aua da Russein, the Rein da Sumvitg and finally the Tscharbach. At Rueun, the Anterior Rhine meets the Schmuer. The valley broadens substantially at Ilanz, where the river is joined by the Glogn and the Schluienbach, however this feature is somewhat brief as the nacsent Rhine soon enters the Ruinalta canyon. As the river cuts through the landscape (in fact a debris pile from a rockslide some 10,000 years ago), it picks up further tributaries including the Carrerabach and the Rabiusa, as well as the Flem. The Anterior Rhine then exits the canyon and proceeds towards Reichenau and the Posterior Rhine.