Šušvė

Šušvė (ˈʃuːʃvʲeː) is a river in central Lithuania, a right (the longest) tributary of the Nevėžis river. It begins in Kelmė district municipality, 6 km (4 mi) southeast from Tytuvėnai. The 134.6 km (83.6 mi) long river passes through Tytuvėnai and Sulinkiai Marshes and flows south through Radviliškis district municipality. Finally, Šušvė passes through Kėdainiai district municipality and flows into the Nevėžis near Graužiai village.

Šušvė
Šušvė River between Angiriai and Josvainiai
Location
Country	Lithuania
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	near Plekaičiai, Kelmė district municipality
Mouth	Nevėžis in Paliepiukai
• coordinates	55.1732°N 23.8317°E / 55.1732; 23.8317
Length	134.6 km (83.6 mi)[1]
Basin size	1,165.4 km2 (450.0 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• average	6.22 m3/s (220 cu ft/s)[2]
Basin features
Progression	Nevėžis→ Neman→ Baltic Sea
Tributaries
• left	Beržė, Žiedupė
• right	Gomerta, Žadikė, Ažytė, Liedas, Lapskojis, Vikšrupis, Putnupys

The width of the river valley is between 0.5 and 3 km. From December to March Šušvė is usually frozen. Dams were built at Vaitiekūnai and Angiriai (Angiriai Reservoir). The Šušvė Hydrological Sanctuary was established in 1992 to protect the lower courses of the river.^[2]

The main towns and villages by the Šušvė river are Šiaulėnai, Pašušvys (Radviliškis municipality), Grinkiškis, Vaitiekūnai, Pašušvys (Kėdainiai municipality), Angiriai, Josvainiai.

Tributaries

The following rivers are tributaries to the river Šušvė (from source to mouth):

• Left: Šušvaitė, Beržutė, Malštovė, Beržė, Srautas, Krimslė, Paliūnys, Paupelys, Žiedupė;
• Right: Šėta, Upytė, Gomerta, Žadikė, Vedreikė, Miegotas, Ažytė, Skardūnė, Raguva, Pečiupė, Cigoniškė, Žemėplėša, Liedas, Lapskojis, Vikšrupis, Grinčiupys, Putnupys.

Etymology

The name Šušvė (or Šiušvė) comes from the root šuš- as in Lithuanian verbs šiušinti, šiušėti, šiaušti. All of them mean bouth 'to tousle' and onomatopoeicly allude to the sound of water.^[3] According to another interpretation, the name Šušvė is related to the Finno-Ugric hydronym Sosva.^[4]