Franconian Saale

Franconian Saale
The Franconian Saale near Hammelburg
Country	Germany
Location	Lower Franconia, Bavaria
Reference no.	DE: 244
Basin features
Main source	in the Grabfeld region near Bad Königshofen 313 m above sea level (NN) 50°17′57″N 10°35′40″E / 50.29917°N 10.59444°E / 50.29917; 10.59444Coordinates: 50°17′57″N 10°35′40″E / 50.29917°N 10.59444°E / 50.29917; 10.59444
River mouth	near Gemünden into the Main 211 m (692 ft) 50°03′21″N 9°41′06″E / 50.055972°N 9.685°E / 50.055972; 9.685
Progression	Main → Rhine → North Sea
River system	Rhine
Basin size	2,764.82 km2 (1,067.50 sq mi)
Landmarks	Large towns: Bad Kissingen Small towns: Bad Königshofen, Bad Neustadt, Hammelburg, Gemünden
Tributaries	Left: Barget, Lauer Right: Krummengraben, Milz, Streu, Brend, Kellersbach, Aschach, Thulba, Schondra, Sinn
Bridges	Saale Valley Bridge at Hollstadt
Physical characteristics
Length	135 km (84 mi)
Discharge	Location: Wolfsmünster Gauge Minimum rate: Average low: 4.14 m3/s (146 cu ft/s) Average rate: 16.6 m3/s (590 cu ft/s) Maximum rate: Average high: 137 m3/s (4,800 cu ft/s)

The Franconian Saale (German: Fränkische Saale) is a 125 km long river in Bavaria, Germany. It is a right-bank tributary of the Main, in Lower Franconia. It should not be confused with the larger Saxon Saale (German: Sächsische Saale), which is a tributary of the Elbe River.

The Fränkische Saale flows through Bad Königshofen, Bad Neustadt, Bad Kissingen, Hammelburg and flows into the Main River in Gemünden am Main.

The Franconian Saale begins in the region of Grabfeld east and southeast of Bad Königshofen at the confluence of two headstreams:

The names of the two headstream sources indicate that they both claim to be the source of the Franconian Saale itself. A possible third source is Brennhausen.

From the confluence of its headwaters, south-east of Bad Königshofen, the Franconian Saale flows in a broadly southwesterly direction along the southeastern edge of the Rhön Mountains. It passes through Bad Neustadt, Bad Bocklet, Bad Kissingen, Hammelburg and Gräfendorf to Gemünden, where it joins the River Main from the northeast.