Weißeritz
Encyclopedia
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 (wild water). The official name of the river used in documents and hydrographic maps is Vereinigte Weißeritz (Aggregated Weißeritz). The highest points of the Weißeritz watershed are at about 800 metres elevation.
The river is formed by the confluence of the Wilde Weißeritz
(Wild Weißeritz) and Rote Weißeritz
(Red Weißeritz) in Freital. Nevertheless the Wilde Weißeritz is the longest tributary, the watersheds of both Weißeritz rivers are almost equal in area (162,7 km² and 161,2 km²).
The Weißeritz crosses the deep valley Plauenscher Grund between Freital and Dresden and enters the Dresden Basin
. The railway line from Dresden to Nuremberg runs next to the river in his close valley. The river is displaced in an old sidearm in Dresden for flood protection reasons and therefore canalised.
The Weißeritz caused heavy damages during the 2002 European floods
in Dresden and Freital. The river reached Dresden Hauptbahnhof
as well as the Zwinger
and flooded some districts of the inner city. Due to the river's high fall from 188 m to 106 m in Dresden some houses were completely destroyed in the torrential flood. The river left its canalised bed near the inner city and went through its old run directly towards the Elbe river.
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....
. The 12 km short left tributary of the Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
runs through 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 :...
and Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
. Its name is derived from west Slavic bystrica (wild water). The official name of the river used in documents and hydrographic maps is Vereinigte Weißeritz (Aggregated Weißeritz). The highest points of the Weißeritz watershed are at about 800 metres elevation.
The river is formed by the confluence 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...
(Wild Weißeritz) and Rote Weißeritz
Rote Weißeritz
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...
(Red Weißeritz) in Freital. Nevertheless the Wilde Weißeritz is the longest tributary, the watersheds of both Weißeritz rivers are almost equal in area (162,7 km² and 161,2 km²).
The Weißeritz crosses the deep valley Plauenscher Grund between Freital and Dresden and enters the Dresden Basin
Dresden Basin
The Dresden Basin is a roughly 45 km long and 10 km wide area of the Elbe Valley between the towns of Pirna and Meißen. The city of Dresden lies in the Dresden Basin.- Geography :...
. The railway line from Dresden to Nuremberg runs next to the river in his close valley. The river is displaced in an old sidearm in Dresden for flood protection reasons and therefore canalised.
The Weißeritz caused heavy damages 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....
in Dresden and Freital. The river reached Dresden Hauptbahnhof
Dresden Hauptbahnhof
is one of two main inter-city transit hubs in the German city of Dresden. Designed by Ernst Giese and Paul Weidner, it was built between 1892 and 1897 at the southern border of the inner city and was important in the growth and development of the city....
as well as the Zwinger
Zwinger
The Zwinger is a palace in Dresden, eastern Germany, built in Baroque style. It served as the orangery, exhibition gallery and festival arena of the Dresden Court....
and flooded some districts of the inner city. Due to the river's high fall from 188 m to 106 m in Dresden some houses were completely destroyed in the torrential flood. The river left its canalised bed near the inner city and went through its old run directly towards the Elbe river.