Zillierbach
Encyclopedia
The Zillierbach is a stream in the Harz mountains of central Germany
(Harz district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt
. It is about 13 km long. The stream rises on the western side of the Hohneklippen crags and runs initially southwards, then swings northeast at Drei Annen Hohne
. South of Drei Annen Hohne it picks up the waters of the Wormsgraben, its main tributary. The Zillierbach supplies the Zillierbach Dam
near Elbingerode. In front of the settlement of Voigtstieg it is joined by another two smaller brooks. In the Middle Ages
the Zillierbach powered the mills between Voigtstieg and Wernigerode
. This section of the valley is still called Mühlental (Mill Valley) today. In its lower reaches before its mouth the stream is known as the Flutrenne. The stream discharges into the Holtemme
at Wernigerode northwest of the West Gate (Westerntor). It drops through a vertical height of almost 400 metres from source to mouth.
, which features on the coat-of-arms of the town of Wernigerode as well as that of the district of Harz. Besides trout, the stream also supports the minnow, the gudgeon
and the loach. To improve the ecological environment of the Zillierbach a project was carried out from 2000 to 2002 by the German Foundation for the Environment, which envisaged five weirs with fish ladder
s in order to provide enable trout to negotiate the river more easily. The project was a significant factor in the town of Wernigerode being recognised for outstanding work in nature conservation as part of the competition to select the nation's "Conservation Capital" (Bundeshauptstadt Naturschutz).
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...
(Harz district in the state of Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
. It is about 13 km long. The stream rises on the western side of the Hohneklippen crags and runs initially southwards, then swings northeast at Drei Annen Hohne
Drei Annen Hohne
Drei Annen Hohne is a village that lies on the edge of the Harz National Park in the Harz mountains of central Germany. Administratively it is part of the borough of Wernigerode in the district of Harz within the German state of Saxony-Anhalt....
. South of Drei Annen Hohne it picks up the waters of the Wormsgraben, its main tributary. The Zillierbach supplies the Zillierbach Dam
Zillierbach Dam
The Zillierbach Dam lies in the East Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt near the town of Elbingerode and impounds the Zillierbach stream...
near Elbingerode. In front of the settlement of Voigtstieg it is joined by another two smaller brooks. In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the Zillierbach powered the mills between Voigtstieg and Wernigerode
Wernigerode
Wernigerode is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode. Its population was 35,500 in 1999....
. This section of the valley is still called Mühlental (Mill Valley) today. In its lower reaches before its mouth the stream is known as the Flutrenne. The stream discharges into the Holtemme
Holtemme
The Holtemme is a 47 km long tributary of the river Bode in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.It rises in the Harz mountains at the eastern foot of the Brocken, descends during its upper course as the Steinerne Renne, a steep stream bed riddled with granite rocks, flows through Hasserode, Wernigerode and past...
at Wernigerode northwest of the West Gate (Westerntor). It drops through a vertical height of almost 400 metres from source to mouth.
Habitat and ecology
The Zillierbach is home to a range of rare fish species, including the protected brown troutBrown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
, which features on the coat-of-arms of the town of Wernigerode as well as that of the district of Harz. Besides trout, the stream also supports the minnow, the gudgeon
Gudgeon (fish)
Gudgeon is a common name for a number of small freshwater fishes of the families Cyprinidae, Eleotridae or Ptereleotridae. Most gudgeons are elongate, bottom-dwelling fish, many of which live in rapids and other fast moving water....
and the loach. To improve the ecological environment of the Zillierbach a project was carried out from 2000 to 2002 by the German Foundation for the Environment, which envisaged five weirs with fish ladder
Fish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass or fish steps, is a structure on or around artificial barriers to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration. Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps into the waters on...
s in order to provide enable trout to negotiate the river more easily. The project was a significant factor in the town of Wernigerode being recognised for outstanding work in nature conservation as part of the competition to select the nation's "Conservation Capital" (Bundeshauptstadt Naturschutz).