Rote Weißeritz
Encyclopedia
The Red Weißeritz is a river in Saxony
that drains the eastern Ore Mountains
. It is a right tributary of the Weißeritz
and is 36.5 km long. The source of the river is near Altenberg
at a height of about 787 metres.
The river drops through a height of 606 metres as it heads north-west, running through Schmiedeberg
, the district town of Dippoldiswalde
and ending in Freital
where it forms the Weißeritz
together with the longer tributary of the Wilde Weißeritz
. The Malter reservoir was built between 1908 and 1913 between Dippoldiswalde and Freital for flood protection reasons after the 1897 floods.
The deep valley is an important transport route. It is an historic approach to a major mountain pass
over the Ore Mountains (the Graupen Pass). The Weisseritz railway
runs through the Weißeritz valley up to the spa town of Kipsdorf, climbing about 350 metres in height. The B 170 federal road follows the river bank between Dippoldiswalde and Bärenfels where it leaves the valley, climbing through three hairpin turn
s.
The Red Weißeritz caused massive destruction during the 2002 European floods
. Housing and especially road infrastructure was destroyed or damaged over a wide area. The flood retention basin of the Malter Reservoir completely overflowed. The area around the source of the river received precipitation of up to 312 mm in 24 hours.
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
that drains the eastern Ore Mountains
Ore Mountains
The Ore Mountains in Central Europe have formed a natural border between Saxony and Bohemia for many centuries. Today, the border between Germany and the Czech Republic runs just north of the main crest of the mountain range...
. It is a right tributary of the Weißeritz
Weißeritz
The Weißeritz is a river in Saxony. The 12 km short left tributary of the Elbe runs through Freital and Dresden. Its name is derived from west Slavic bystrica . The official name of the river used in documents and hydrographic maps is Vereinigte Weißeritz...
and is 36.5 km long. The source of the river is near Altenberg
Altenberg, Germany
Altenberg is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Ore Mountains, close to the border with the Czech Republic, 15 km northwest of Teplice, and 32 km south of Dresden....
at a height of about 787 metres.
The river drops through a height of 606 metres as it heads north-west, running through Schmiedeberg
Schmiedeberg, Saxony
Schmiedeberg is a municipality in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in Saxony, Germany. It is quite close to Dresden.- References :...
, the district town of Dippoldiswalde
Dippoldiswalde
Dippoldiswalde is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, administrative center of the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district. It is situated 23 km east of Freiberg, and 18 km south of Dresden....
and ending in Freital
Freital
Freital is the biggest town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the small river Weißeritz, 8 km southwest of Dresden.- Geography :...
where it forms the Weißeritz
Weißeritz
The Weißeritz is a river in Saxony. The 12 km short left tributary of the Elbe runs through Freital and Dresden. Its name is derived from west Slavic bystrica . The official name of the river used in documents and hydrographic maps is Vereinigte Weißeritz...
together with the longer tributary of the Wilde Weißeritz
Wilde Weißeritz
The Wilde Weißeritz is a river in the Czech Republic and in Saxony which drains the eastern Ore Mountains. It is the longest tributary of the Weißeritz.The valley of the Wilde Weißeritz is almost free of settlements...
. The Malter reservoir was built between 1908 and 1913 between Dippoldiswalde and Freital for flood protection reasons after the 1897 floods.
The deep valley is an important transport route. It is an historic approach to a major mountain pass
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
over the Ore Mountains (the Graupen Pass). The Weisseritz railway
Weisseritz railway
The Weisseritz Valley Railway, or Weißeritztalbahn, is a steam operated narrow gauge railway in Saxony, Germany. The line connects Freital, near Dresden, with Kurort Kipsdorf, in the Erzgebirge mountains, and follows the valley of the Rote Weißeritz...
runs through the Weißeritz valley up to the spa town of Kipsdorf, climbing about 350 metres in height. The B 170 federal road follows the river bank between Dippoldiswalde and Bärenfels where it leaves the valley, climbing through three hairpin turn
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
s.
The Red Weißeritz caused massive destruction during the 2002 European floods
2002 European floods
In August 2002 a 100-year flood caused by over a week of continuous heavy rains ravaged Europe, killing dozens, dispossessing thousands, and causing damage of billions of euros in the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Croatia....
. Housing and especially road infrastructure was destroyed or damaged over a wide area. The flood retention basin of the Malter Reservoir completely overflowed. The area around the source of the river received precipitation of up to 312 mm in 24 hours.