Hessel

Hessel
Confluence of the Neuer Hessel and the Alter Hessel near the nature reserve of Versmolder Bruch
State	North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Reference no.	DE: 316
Physical characteristics
Main source	Source: Northwest of Halle (Westf.) in the Teutoburg Forest ca. 170 m above sea level (NN) 52°05′30″N 8°21′02″E / 52.09167°N 8.35056°E / 52.09167; 8.35056Coordinates: 52°05′30″N 8°21′02″E / 52.09167°N 8.35056°E / 52.09167; 8.35056
River mouth	Warendorf-Einen ca. 48 m above sea level (NN) 51°58′26″N 7°54′59″E / 51.97389°N 7.91639°E / 51.97389; 7.91639
Length	39.337 km [1]
Discharge	Location: at Milte (4,3 km oberhalb der Mündung, Einzugsgebiet: 204,87 km²) gauge[2] Minimum rate: Record low: 0 l/s (in 2005) Average low: 304 l/s Average rate: 2.12 m³/s Maximum rate: Average high: 18.4 m³/s Record high: 33.6 m³/s (in 1986)
Basin features
Progression	Ems→ North Sea
Basin size	212.528 km² [1]
Tributaries	Left: Alte Hessel, Lüffe Graben, Right: Casumer Bach, Bruchbach, Aabach, Poggenfahrtgraben, Sandfortbach, Teichwiese, Wöstenbach, Beckstroth, Arenbecke, Speckengraben

The Hessel is a 39.3-kilometre-long (24.4 mi), right tributary of the River Ems in the territory of the North Rhine-Westphalian districts of Gütersloh and Warendorf in northwest Germany.

The river rises northwest of Halle (Westf.) on the Große Egge, crosses the Hermannsweg, flows through the villages of Hesseln and Hörste in Halle borough, then through the borough of Versmold through Oesterweg, continuing through the town of Sassenberg and along the southern edge of Milte in the borough of Warendorf, before emptying into the Ems near Warendorf-Einen.

Tributaries include the Casumer Bach, Bruchbach, Aabach, Poggenfahrtgraben, Sandfortbach, Teichwiese, Wöstenbach, Beckstroth, Arenbecke and the Speckengraben.

The Snake's Head Meadows lie along the Hessel near Sassenberg, one of the few areas in Germany in which this strictly protected wildflower occurs.

References