Lichte (river)
Encyclopedia
The Lichte River is a right tributary
of the Schwarza in Thuringia
, Germany
, and is 17 km long.
in the Thuringian Highlands.
, first through the Finsterer Grund (Dark Valley), where a now closed section of the Sonneberg – Probstzella single-track railway line passes over it on a viaduct. It then reaches the municipality of Lichte
, which extends for approximately 5 km along its banks. In the centre of Lichte (in the Wallendorf section) the Piesau
joins the Lichte. Below the municipality of Lichte, the river passes through a roughly 3 km long and 200 m deep gorge, which ends in the Deesbach Forebay
(height 42.5 m). This is followed by the Leibis-Lichte Dam
, the second tallest valley dam in Germany, 102.5 m high. The municipality of Unterweißbach
borders the dam and extends for approximately 3 km along the river, which then empties into the Schwarza to the west of the municipality at Mankenbachsmuehle.
The Lichte and Piesau both have unusually steep and deep gorges, the difference between hill tops and valley bottoms often exceeding 200 m.
The rivers and streams in the area of the Lichte valley have been known for centuries for deposits of placer gold
and are considered the most significant sources of gold in Germany. Recreational placer miners continue to find occasional gold nuggets.
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Schwarza in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and is 17 km long.
Source
The Lichte rises as the Little Lichte in Neuhaus am RennwegNeuhaus am Rennweg
Neuhaus am Rennweg is a town in the district of Sonneberg, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated in the Thuringian Forest, 17 km north of Sonneberg, and 22 km southwest of Saalfeld.-References:...
in the Thuringian Highlands.
Course
The Lichte flows north through the Thuringian Forest Nature ParkThuringian Forest Nature Park
The Thuringian Forest Nature Park is one of the two nature parks in Thuringia.The 1990 founded park has a size of 2082 km². It extents around the Rennsteig and comprises almost the entire Thuringian Forest and the Thuringian Highlands with Eisenach in northwest and Sonneberg in the south...
, first through the Finsterer Grund (Dark Valley), where a now closed section of the Sonneberg – Probstzella single-track railway line passes over it on a viaduct. It then reaches the municipality of Lichte
Lichte
thumb|220px|Wallendorfer Porcelain Manufacture, Oct. 2006thumb|220px|[[Leibis-Lichte Dam]], 102.5 m highLichte is a municipality in the district of Saalfeld-Rudolstadt in Thuringia, Germany, close to the Thuringian Rennsteig.- Geography :...
, which extends for approximately 5 km along its banks. In the centre of Lichte (in the Wallendorf section) the Piesau
Piesau (river)
The Piesau River is a right tributary of the Lichte River in Thuringia, Germany, and is approximately 7 km long. The name is derived from the municipality of Piesau.- Source :...
joins the Lichte. Below the municipality of Lichte, the river passes through a roughly 3 km long and 200 m deep gorge, which ends in the Deesbach Forebay
Deesbach Forebay
The Deesbach Forebay is a dam in the German state of Thuringia in the Thuringian Highland. It impounds the river Lichte and lies between the municipalities Lichte and Unterweissbach...
(height 42.5 m). This is followed by the Leibis-Lichte Dam
Leibis-Lichte Dam
The Leibis-Lichte Dam is a dam in the German state of Thuringia in the Thuringian Highland. It impounds the River Lichte and lies between Lichte municipality section Geiersthal and Unterweissbach. To that particular Storage reservoir belongs the Deesbach Forebay...
, the second tallest valley dam in Germany, 102.5 m high. The municipality of Unterweißbach
Unterweißbach
Unterweißbach is a municipality in the district Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, in Thuringia, Germany....
borders the dam and extends for approximately 3 km along the river, which then empties into the Schwarza to the west of the municipality at Mankenbachsmuehle.
The Lichte and Piesau both have unusually steep and deep gorges, the difference between hill tops and valley bottoms often exceeding 200 m.
Tributaries
| Left | Ascherbach Ascherbach (river) The Ascherbach is a left tributary of the Lichte in Thuringia, Germany, and is 4 km long.- Source :The Ascherbach rises in Neuhaus am Rennweg close to the Rennsteig, the watershed between Franconia and Thuringia in the Thuringian Highlands.- Course :On its way northeast through the Nature... |
Dorstbach | Geiersbach | Fischbach | Horbach |
| Right | Kieselbach Kieselbach (river) The Kieselbach is a right tributary of the Lichte in Thuringia, Germany, and is 4 km long.- Source :The Kieselach rises in Ernstthal close to the Rennsteig, the watershed between Franconia and Thuringia in the Thuringian Highlands.- Course :The Kieselbach source is close to the rail station... |
Piesau Piesau (river) The Piesau River is a right tributary of the Lichte River in Thuringia, Germany, and is approximately 7 km long. The name is derived from the municipality of Piesau.- Source :... |
Hölle | Feldbach | Schlagebach |
The rivers and streams in the area of the Lichte valley have been known for centuries for deposits of placer gold
Placer deposit
In geology, a placer deposit or placer is an accumulation of valuable minerals formed by gravity separation during sedimentary processes. The name is from the Spanish word placer, meaning "alluvial sand". Placer mining is an important source of gold, and was the main technique used in the early...
and are considered the most significant sources of gold in Germany. Recreational placer miners continue to find occasional gold nuggets.