Traun, River; Upper Austria: the River Traun is a south- western tributary of the Danube that joins the Danube at Linz; good to medium water quality (class 2, mean flow rate at Wels-Lichtenegg 135 m3/second. The River Traun originates from the confluence of the Altausseer and the Grundlseer Traun as well as the Kainisch Traun at Bad Aussee (Styria, alt. 659 m). At Koppentrettalm (alt. 663 m) the Traun enters Upper Austrian territory (Salzkammergut) and is called Koppen Traun. The Traun then flows through Lake Hallstatt, turns to the northeast, passes Bad Goisern (alt. 502 m) and Bad Ischl (alt. 469 m) where it is joined in the west by the River Ischl and flows through Lake Traunsee at Gmunden (alt. 440 m). At theTraunfall waterfall, situated between Steyrermühl (alt. 401 m), and Roitham (alt. 424 m) the river enters the Upper Austrian alpine foreland. The main towns on the River Traun are Stadl-Paura (alt. 360 m), Lambach (alt. 367 m), Wels (alt. 317 m), Traun (alt. 276 m) and Linz; the most important tributaries are the Rivers Ager, Alm and Krems. The Traun was formerly important for the transport of timber and salt. Today the energy potential is used in various power stations: Gmunden, Traunfall, Traunleiten, Marchtrenk, Traun-Pucking and Kleinmünchen and by industrial facilities (paper mills in Steyrermühl and Laakirchen).
