The Zala is a river in south-western Hungary. Its source is in the hills northwest of Szalafà  near the borders with Austria and Slovenia. The long Zala drains an area of . Several smaller rivers feed into it, including the Felsà Â-Válicka, Szentmihályfalvai patak (brook), SzévÃÂz csatorna (channel), Foglár csatorna on the right bank, and Szentjakabi patak, SárvÃÂz (Zala) patak, Széplaki patak, Csörgetà  patak and Nádas patak on the left bank. It flows through the city of Zalaegerszeg before flowing into Lake Balaton near Keszthely. The River Zala flows through the Hungarian counties of Vas and Zala.