Weesener Bach
Encyclopedia
The Weesener Bach, also called the Lutterbach, is a tributary of the river Örtze
in northern Germany. It rises in the Südheide Nature Park
, south of the village of Lutterloh
near Unterlüß
, then flows through the Hermannsburg village of Weesen and enters the Örtze north of Hermannsburg
after about 10.5 km. The source of the stream lies at 84 m above sea level, its mouth is 54 m above sea level, giving a height difference of 30 metres. Originally the Weesener Bach emerged from a bog region. Most of this was converted into ponds. The ponds have become overgrown in many areas with Water Horsetail
. The entire course of the stream together with the banks either side, a total of 348 hectares (859.9 acre), was declared a nature reserve
in 1999. As a result an almost natural heath stream has been preserved, whose water quality, apart from its upper course near the source ponds, is of the highest category, I-II, and only slightly polluted. Due to its high water quality, the stream is home to a multitude of rare animals. Amongst the fish that thrive here are Brown Trout
, Bullhead
and Brook Lamprey
. In 1987, 176 species of animal were recorded here, of which 36 were on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. Along the banks and water meadows there are 60 more endangered species, such as vascular plant
s, moss
es, amphibian
s and reptile
s. Even the Kingfisher
lives here.
Near the mounth of the stream there is still a water mill (the Luttermühle) with an overshoot water wheel
. The mill has been in operation since 1757 as a sawmill
.
In order to feed water to the mill a 1 kilometre long canal was dug with which the water course was raised. Immediately in front of the sawmill a large pond was excavated. This pond was needed in order to provide additional water to generate more power for the water wheel. When particularly high levels of power were needed for the saw, to cut large oak tree logs for example, the additional water was indispensable. In former times the canal was closed once a year, the water was then fed into the old stream bed and the sand that had been washed into the pond and deposited there was shovelled out. Due to the enormous amount of work that this entailed, this process was later given up. A separate drainage channel was laid and, from time to time, the pond was allowed to empty very rapidly.
Originally there was also a flour mill and a tannery
here. At that time the water was diverted either to the sawmill or to the overshoot water wheel of the flour mill. As a rule the sawmill's water wheel was driven during the day and the flour mill's wheel at night. Operations ceased when there was a fire in 1995. The water wheel at the sawmill was replaced and sometimes drives an electrical generator
.
Örtze
The Örtze is a river in the North German state of Lower Saxony, which rises north of Munster in the Große Heide and, after , joins the Aller southeast of Winsen.- Source and course :...
in northern Germany. It rises in the Südheide Nature Park
Südheide Nature Park
The Südheide Nature Park is a large protected area of forest and heathland in the southern part of the Lüneburg Heath in North Germany...
, south of the village of Lutterloh
Lutterloh
'Lutterloh' refers to a pattern drafting system intended for home sewing developed in Germany in the 1930s. The company, which is family owned, is still in business today....
near Unterlüß
Unterlüß
Unterlüß is a municipality in the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 30 km northeast of Celle, and 25 km southwest of Uelzen....
, then flows through the Hermannsburg village of Weesen and enters the Örtze north of Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg is a municipality in the Celle district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the River Örtze, approx. 15 kilometers east of Bergen and 30 kilometers north of Celle.-Division of the municipality:...
after about 10.5 km. The source of the stream lies at 84 m above sea level, its mouth is 54 m above sea level, giving a height difference of 30 metres. Originally the Weesener Bach emerged from a bog region. Most of this was converted into ponds. The ponds have become overgrown in many areas with Water Horsetail
Water Horsetail
The water horsetail , also known as the Swamp Horsetail, is a perennial horsetail that commonly grows in dense colonies along freshwater shorelines or in shallow water, growing in ponds, swamps, ditches, and other sluggish or still waters with mud bottoms...
. The entire course of the stream together with the banks either side, a total of 348 hectares (859.9 acre), was declared a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in 1999. As a result an almost natural heath stream has been preserved, whose water quality, apart from its upper course near the source ponds, is of the highest category, I-II, and only slightly polluted. Due to its high water quality, the stream is home to a multitude of rare animals. Amongst the fish that thrive here are Brown Trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, Bullhead
European bullhead
The bullhead is a freshwater fish that is widely distributed in Europe, mainly in rivers. It is a member of the Cottidae family, a type of sculpin...
and Brook Lamprey
Brook lamprey
The European brook lamprey is a small European lamprey species that exclusively inhabits freshwater...
. In 1987, 176 species of animal were recorded here, of which 36 were on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. Along the banks and water meadows there are 60 more endangered species, such as vascular plant
Vascular plant
Vascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, Equisetum, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms...
s, moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es, amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s and reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s. Even the Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
lives here.
Near the mounth of the stream there is still a water mill (the Luttermühle) with an overshoot water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
. The mill has been in operation since 1757 as a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
.
In order to feed water to the mill a 1 kilometre long canal was dug with which the water course was raised. Immediately in front of the sawmill a large pond was excavated. This pond was needed in order to provide additional water to generate more power for the water wheel. When particularly high levels of power were needed for the saw, to cut large oak tree logs for example, the additional water was indispensable. In former times the canal was closed once a year, the water was then fed into the old stream bed and the sand that had been washed into the pond and deposited there was shovelled out. Due to the enormous amount of work that this entailed, this process was later given up. A separate drainage channel was laid and, from time to time, the pond was allowed to empty very rapidly.
Originally there was also a flour mill and a tannery
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
here. At that time the water was diverted either to the sawmill or to the overshoot water wheel of the flour mill. As a rule the sawmill's water wheel was driven during the day and the flour mill's wheel at night. Operations ceased when there was a fire in 1995. The water wheel at the sawmill was replaced and sometimes drives an electrical generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
.