| Bystřice | |
| Source1 Location: | Horní Brusnice, Giant Mountains Foothills |
| Mouth Location: | Cidlina |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 50.1497°N 15.4664°W |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Czech Republic |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Name2: | Hradec Králové |
| Length: | 62.7km (39miles) |
| Discharge1 Avg: | 1.55m3/s near estuary |
| Basin Size: | 379.2km2 |
Bystřice is a river in the Czech Republic, a right tributary of the Elbe River. It flows through the Hradec Králové and Central Bohemian regions. It is 49.6km (30.8miles) long.
The name of the river is derived from the Czech word bystrá, meaning "fast-flowing", "rapid".[1]
The Bystřice originates in the territory of Horní Brusnice in the Giant Mountains Foothills at the elevation of and flows to Chlumec nad Cidlinou, where it enters the Cidlina River at the elevation of . The river is 62.7km (39miles) long. Its drainage basin has an area of 379.2km2.[2]
The longest tributary of the Bystřice is the Bašnický potok with a length of 18.4 km.[2]
The largest town around which the river flows is Hořice. The river flows through the municipal territories of Horní Brusnice, Pecka, Borek, Tetín, Miletín, Rohoznice, Červená Třemešná, Hořice, Jeřice, Cerekvice nad Bystřicí, Hněvčeves, Benátky, Sovětice, Sadová, Dohalice, Mžany, Mokrovousy, Třesovice, Nechanice, Kunčice, Boharyně, Puchlovice, Roudnice, Kratonohy, Kosičky, Kosice, Písek, Nové Město and Chlumec nad Cidlinou.
There are 377 bodies of water in the basin area. The largest of them is the Třesický pond with an area of .[2] There are no fishponds or reservoirs built directly on the Bystřice.
A survey conducted in 2010 showed that the Bystřice River was inhabited by a total of 21 species of aquatic molluscs, out of which 11 were gastropods and the remaining 10 were bivalves. Most of the recorded species were common ones. Although previous researches had shown the river to have an even higher number of species, the most notable find of the research in 2010 was the increase in the alien New Zealand mud snail and European physa species. On the other hand, there was also the discovery of the presence of the endangered thick shelled river mussel, with an increased population density of the species as compared to a few years ago.[3] Due to the presence of the thick shelled river mussel, the river bed between Hořice and Boharyně is protected as a nature monument. It has an area of .[4]
The river in the valley to the west of Hořice, along with its immediate surroundings, is protected as the Údolí Bystřice nature monument. It has an area of . The reason for the protection is the natural flow of the river, riparian vegetation and hygrophilous meadows with the occurrence of protected species of plants and animals.[5]
The river valley on its upper course is protected as the Kalské údolí nature monument. It has an area of and the reasons for protection are the same as in the case of Údolí Bystřice.[6]