A Rösche is a German mining term that refers inter alia to a gullet (Wasserseige), a trench for draining water in the lower part of a mine gallery

Mining

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...

. In order to keep the actual gallery entrance (Stollenmundloch) free and guard against backflooding the Röschen were, in many cases, extended to below the entrance or led even further away, underground, to the nearest stream or river.

By contrast the term Rösche was also used to describe the channels or "leats" through which the driving water for mining equipment was led into the pit (Aufschlagrösche or driving water leats) or out of the pit (Abfallrösche or drainage leats). Unlike a gallery, a leat will have a gentle incline into the pit.

Also referred to as a Rösche are the tunnel-like sections of mining ditch (Kunstgraben

Kunstgraben

A Kunstgraben is a type of man-made water channel that was once used by mines to drive the water wheels needed for power, mine drainage and a host of other purposes...

) systems. These are not underground structures. In the Harz Mountains of Germany such a tunnel is also known as a Wasserlauf. See Upper Harz Water Tunnels

Upper Harz Water Tunnels

The Upper Harz Water Tunnels are part of the Upper Harz Water Regale - a network of reservoirs, ditches, tunnels and other structures in the Harz mountains of central Germany. The German term Wasserlauf refers to the underground element of the network of watercourses used in the historic silver...

.

A recess in the stowage for the extraction of ventilation in mining is called a Wetter-Rösche.