Schwarza (Leitha)
Encyclopedia
The Schwarza is a river in Lower Austria
. It is a headstream of the River Leitha.
, flows through the Höllental
gorge and the Schwarza valley. Near Haderswörth in the parish of Lanzenkirchen
the Schwarza combines with the Pitten and is then called the Leitha. It is 78 kilometres (48.5 mi) long. The Schwarza is part of the Natura 2000
region known as "North Eastern Border Alps: Hohe Wand – Schneeberg – Rax" (Nordöstliche Randalpen: Hohe Wand - Schneeberg - Rax).
and deep gullies. The lower reaches are strictly regulated as far as Schwarzau am Steinfeld
. Only between Schwarzau am Steinfeld and Bad Erlach
can the Schwarza spread out into wide meanders again. From Loipersbach
the Schwarza runs along a sinkage section (Versickerungsstrecke), where the bulk of the water seeps into the gravel surface of the Steinfeld.
The river bed below the so-called "Dunkelstein Weir
" in the municipality of Ternitz
, usually only carries water at times of snowmelt
and during heavy rain. The water flows through several works channels through the town of Neunkirchen. Here it powers some small hydro
plants.
At the Peisching Weir
most of the water from the River Schwarza (maximum 7,000 litres per second) is fed into the Kehrbach canal, which, in turn, feeds the Vienna Neustadt Canal.
During heavy rainfall, snowmelt and storms, the Schwarza quickly swells into a raging torrent.
down the Schwarza and the Kehrbach to Wiener Neustadt
and then loaded onto barges and transported to Vienna
on the Wiener Neustadt Canal
.
In earlier times, it was turned into charcoal
in large kilns near the Wind Bridge. From the beginning to the middle of the 19th century numerous factories, especially paper mill
s, were established in the region.
The Schwarza is also used to generate electricity
. For this purpose several works channels were built along the Schwarza, through which through most of the waters of the Schwarza now flow.
Of the once important paper mills, today only the company of Mayr-Melnhof Karton (MM Karton) in Hirschwang is still in operation. Numerous factory closures affected the working and social life of the region. For example, after the closure of the paper mill in Schlöglmühl, a television documentary was produced called Postadresse 2640 Schlöglmühl ("Postal Address 2640 Schlöglmühl") which portrayed the decline of the former paper industry.
The Höllental Road (B 27) follows the Schwarza valley for the entire length of the river.
Water from the catchment area of the Schwarza has been used to supply drinking water
to Vienna, since the 1st Viennese Spring Water Supply Network (1. Wiener Hochquellenwasserleitung) was built in 1869–1873.
, Grey Wagtail
, Grey Heron
, Wallcreeper
, White-throated Dipper
, Grayling
, Brown trout
and Bullhead
.
It is also noteworthy, that in the vicinity of the Schwarza near Kaiserbrunn, they have switched from the conventional restocking of fish to supporting a natural supply of fishing stock. In particular, the stock of domestic brown trout
is supported by "cocooning" and "artificial nests". The goal of this project is to build a native fish stock, capable of sustaining itself. In particular, the use of "artificial nests" (spawning beds are directly injected into the substrate) supports the natural supply of brown trout.
Lower Austria
Lower Austria is the northeasternmost state of the nine states in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria since 1986 is Sankt Pölten, the most recently designated capital town in Austria. The capital of Lower Austria had formerly been Vienna, even though Vienna is not officially part of Lower Austria...
. It is a headstream of the River Leitha.
Course
It rises on the saddle of Rohrer SattelRohrer Sattel
Rohrer Sattel is a high mountain pass in the Austrian Alps, located in the Bundesland of Lower Austria.It connects Rohr im Gebirge and Gutenstein and has a maximum grade of 84 percent. The pass road is the Gutensteinerstraße ....
, flows through the Höllental
Höllental (Lower Austria)
The Höllental in Lower Austria is a narrow valley between the steep limestone massifs of the Schneeberg and Rax through which the River Schwarza flows....
gorge and the Schwarza valley. Near Haderswörth in the parish of Lanzenkirchen
Lanzenkirchen
-Geography:Lanzenkirchen is located in the regions of Steinfeld and the Bucklige Welt and the Rosalienbirges ranges. Its main river is the Leitha and the Mühlbach Canal.Here are 5 Katastralgemeinden of Lanzenkirchen:*Lanzenkirchen*Frohsdorf*Haderswörth...
the Schwarza combines with the Pitten and is then called the Leitha. It is 78 kilometres (48.5 mi) long. The Schwarza is part of the Natura 2000
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
region known as "North Eastern Border Alps: Hohe Wand – Schneeberg – Rax" (Nordöstliche Randalpen: Hohe Wand - Schneeberg - Rax).
Character
The Schwarza is characterized in its upper reaches by undercuts, high cliffs, gravel banks, poolsStream pool
A stream pool, in hydrology, is a stretch of a river or stream in which the water depth is above average and the water velocity is quite below average.-Formation:...
and deep gullies. The lower reaches are strictly regulated as far as Schwarzau am Steinfeld
Schwarzau am Steinfeld
Schwarzau am Steinfeld is a town in the district of Neunkirchen in the Austrian state of Lower Austria....
. Only between Schwarzau am Steinfeld and Bad Erlach
Bad Erlach
Bad Erlach is a municipality in the district of Wiener Neustadt-Land in Lower Austria, Austria....
can the Schwarza spread out into wide meanders again. From Loipersbach
Natschbach-Loipersbach
Natschbach-Loipersbach is a town in the district of Neunkirchen in the Austrian state of Lower Austria....
the Schwarza runs along a sinkage section (Versickerungsstrecke), where the bulk of the water seeps into the gravel surface of the Steinfeld.
The river bed below the so-called "Dunkelstein Weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
" in the municipality of Ternitz
Ternitz
Ternitz is a town in the district of Neunkirchen in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. Situated at the confluence of the Sierning stream and the River Schwarza, at the western end of the Steinfeld plain, it is a fairly large town by population , especially by Austrian standards, yet it covers an...
, usually only carries water at times of snowmelt
Snowmelt
In hydrology, snowmelt is surface runoff produced from melting snow. It can also be used to describe the period or season during which such runoff is produced. Water produced by snowmelt is an important part of the annual water cycle in many parts of the world, in some cases contributing high...
and during heavy rain. The water flows through several works channels through the town of Neunkirchen. Here it powers some small hydro
Small hydro
Small hydro is the development of hydroelectric power on a scale serving a small community or industrial plant. The definition of a small hydro project varies but a generating capacity of up to 10 megawatts is generally accepted as the upper limit of what can be termed small hydro. This may be...
plants.
At the Peisching Weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
most of the water from the River Schwarza (maximum 7,000 litres per second) is fed into the Kehrbach canal, which, in turn, feeds the Vienna Neustadt Canal.
During heavy rainfall, snowmelt and storms, the Schwarza quickly swells into a raging torrent.
Economic and transportation importance
Initially, the river was economically important for the timber industry. From 1803 wood from the forests on both sides of Schwarza was floatedTimber rafting
Timber rafting is a log transportation method in which logs are tied together into rafts and drifted or pulled across a water body or down a flatter river. It is arguably the second cheapest method of transportation of timber, next after log driving...
down the Schwarza and the Kehrbach to Wiener Neustadt
Wiener Neustadt
-Main sights:* The Late-Romanesque Dom, consecrated in 1279 and cathedral from 1469 to 1785. The choir and transept, in Gothic style, are from the 14th century. In the late 15th century 12 statues of the Apostles were added in the apse, while the bust of Cardinal Melchior Klesl is attributed to...
and then loaded onto barges and transported to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on the Wiener Neustadt Canal
Wiener Neustadt Canal
The Wiener Neustadt Canal was Austria's only shipping canal, originally meant to reach to Trieste. It became operational in 1803 and ceased to be used for transportation before World War I.- References :...
.
In earlier times, it was turned into charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
in large kilns near the Wind Bridge. From the beginning to the middle of the 19th century numerous factories, especially paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
s, were established in the region.
The Schwarza is also used to generate electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. For this purpose several works channels were built along the Schwarza, through which through most of the waters of the Schwarza now flow.
Of the once important paper mills, today only the company of Mayr-Melnhof Karton (MM Karton) in Hirschwang is still in operation. Numerous factory closures affected the working and social life of the region. For example, after the closure of the paper mill in Schlöglmühl, a television documentary was produced called Postadresse 2640 Schlöglmühl ("Postal Address 2640 Schlöglmühl") which portrayed the decline of the former paper industry.
The Höllental Road (B 27) follows the Schwarza valley for the entire length of the river.
Water from the catchment area of the Schwarza has been used to supply drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
to Vienna, since the 1st Viennese Spring Water Supply Network (1. Wiener Hochquellenwasserleitung) was built in 1869–1873.
Natural region
Typical animal species for the Schwarza are the: OtterEuropean Otter
The European Otter , also known as the Eurasian otter, Eurasian river otter, common otter and Old World otter, is a European and Asian member of the Lutrinae or otter subfamily, and is typical of freshwater otters....
, Grey Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
The Grey Wagtail is a small member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae. The species looks similar to the Yellow Wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to the throat and vent. Breeding males have a black throat...
, Grey Heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
, Wallcreeper
Wallcreeper
The Wallcreeper is a small passerine bird found throughout the high mountains of Eurasia. It is the only member of the genus Tichodroma.-Taxonomy and etymology:...
, White-throated Dipper
White-throated Dipper
The White-throated Dipper , also known as the European Dipper or just Dipper is an aquatic passerine bird found in Europe, Middle East, Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The species is divided into several subspecies, based primarily on colour differences, particularly of the pectoral band...
, Grayling
Grayling (species)
The grayling is a species of freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. It is the type species of its genus. Native to the Palearctic ecozone, the grayling is widespread throughout northern Europe, from the United Kingdom and France to the Ural Mountains in Russia...
, Brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
and 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...
.
It is also noteworthy, that in the vicinity of the Schwarza near Kaiserbrunn, they have switched from the conventional restocking of fish to supporting a natural supply of fishing stock. In particular, the stock of domestic brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
is supported by "cocooning" and "artificial nests". The goal of this project is to build a native fish stock, capable of sustaining itself. In particular, the use of "artificial nests" (spawning beds are directly injected into the substrate) supports the natural supply of brown trout.
External links
- The Schwarza at www.wwf.at
- The Schwarza at www.angeltreff.org
- Data on the Schwarza near GloggnitzGloggnitzGloggnitz is a mountain town in the Neunkirchen district of Lower Austria, Austria.Gloggnitz is situated in the south-western part of the Vienna Basin in Lower Austria. It is surrounded by the highest mountains in Lower Austria, Mount Rax and Mount Schneeberg...