Editing Geul

{{For|the [[Isle of Man|Manx]] festival, Feailley Geul|Yule}}
{{Infobox river
| name              = Geul
| name_other        = {{langx|de|Göhl}}, {{langx|fr|Gueule}}
| image             = Geul river valley in Plombières, Belgium 100 0278.jpg
| image_caption     = The Geul valley in [[Plombières]], Belgium
| source1_location  = near [[Eynatten|Lichtenbusch]]
| mouth_location    = [[Meuse]] near [[Bunde, Limburg|Bunde]]
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|50|53|49|N|5|43|4|E|name=Meuse-Geul|display=inline,title}}
| progression       = {{RMeuse}} 
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[Belgium]], [[Netherlands]]
| length            = {{convert|58.0|km|abbr=on}} {{GeoQuelle|DE-NW|GSK3C}}
| source1_elevation = ±{{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_avg    = 
| basin_size        = 
| map               = Kaart met plateaus en dalen Zuid-Limburg.PNG
| map_size          = 
| map_caption       = The Geul (Ge) in [[South Limburg (Netherlands)|South Limburg]], with tributaries [[Eyserbeek]] (E), [[Gulp]] (Gu) and [[Selzerbeek]] (Se).
}}

The '''Geul''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈɣøːl||Nl-Geul.ogg}}, {{IPA|li|ˈɣøːl|lang}};{{fix|text=tone?|date=March 2022}} {{langx|de|Göhl}} {{IPA|de|ˈɡøːl|}}; {{langx|fr|Gueule}} {{IPA|fr|ɡœl||LL-Q150 (fra)-LoquaxFR-gueule.wav}}) is a river in [[Belgium]] and in the [[Netherlands]], where it is a right-bank tributary to the river [[Meuse]]. 

== Geography ==
The source of the Geul is at about {{convert|300|m|ft}} above sea level in northeastern Belgium near the German border, south of the German town of [[Aachen]]. From there, after flowing some {{convert|20|km|mi}} in a northwestern direction, it leaves Belgium and enters the Netherlands at Cottessen in the [[Vaals]] municipality. After a further {{convert|38|km|mi}} in a west-northwestern direction through the southernmost part of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]], which in its turn is the most southern province of the Netherlands, it flows into the Meuse, north of the city of [[Maastricht]].

A tributary of the Geul is the [[Gulp (river)|Gulp]].

Places through which the Geul passes are among others [[Kelmis]] (Belgium), [[Valkenburg aan de Geul]], including [[Schin op Geul]], and [[Meerssen]] (Netherlands).

==Pollution==
The water of the Geul is polluted seriously with heavy metals [[zinc]] and [[lead]] and as a result also is a serious source of heavy metal inflow into the Meuse.

This pollution is a result of former zinc and lead mining activities near the Belgian towns of [[Kelmis]] (La Calamine) and [[Plombières]] (formerly named Bleiberg).

The last one of these mines have closed early in the 20th century. One of the reasons for giving up mining activities in Plombières was the occasional flooding of the mine by the Geul, as the bedrock (mainly [[Carboniferous]] [[limestone]]) contains many [[fault (geology)|faults]] and fissures.

Although mine factory buildings have been demolished, old railway dikes still are abundantly present in the area. They provide ideal hiking routes, that are known for the presence of so-called "zinc flora" (zinc-tolerant plants, such as [[yellow calamine violet]] and  ''[[Viola calaminaria]]'').

== Significant events ==
[[File:Geul-overstroming juli 2021 (55).jpg|left|thumb|Flooding of the Geul in the downtown business district during the [[2021 European floods]]]]

During the [[2021 European floods]], the banks of the river flooded, including in some of the major  population centers such as [[Valkenburg aan de Geul]].<ref>[https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2021/07/15/angstvallig-de-waterbuffer-in-de-gaten-houden-de-wateroverlast-in-zuid-limburg-in-beeld-a4051089 De beelden van de wateroverlast in Zuid-Limburg]</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kelmis Tueljebach - Geul.jpg|At Kelmis Tueljebach
File:Schin op Geul-Geul-Schoonbron-1.JPG|At Schin op Geul
File:Geul bij Strabeek Limburg.jpg|At Strabeek 
File:Geul voulwammes.jpg|Estuary at Voulwammes
</gallery>

==See also==

* [[Oehl]]

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:International rivers of Europe]]
[[Category:Rivers of the Ardennes (Belgium)]]
[[Category:Rivers of Belgium]]
[[Category:Rivers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Rivers of Liège Province]]
[[Category:Rivers of South Limburg (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Gulpen-Wittem]]
[[Category:Kelmis]]
[[Category:Meerssen]]
[[Category:Plombières]]
[[Category:Raeren]]
[[Category:Valkenburg aan de Geul]]