Werra flood 1909
The Werra flood in 1909 was a century flood of the Werra in February 1909.
causes
In the Thuringian Forest , after initially weeks of drought, heavy snowfall began in the Thuringian Forest , which, when the frost was still moderate, led to a snowpack measuring over a meter in places. In the lowlands, an average of 20 to 60 cm was measured. On February 3, a sudden change in weather with a south-westerly wind resulted in very heavy rainfalls ( Meteorological Station Schmücke : 97.8 mm of precipitation). At the same time the air temperature rose above freezing point and the snowmelt started violently; Rain and the resulting ice drift (the Werra was partially covered with half a meter of ice) led to one of the largest flood events in the Werra. While the Meiningen city center was already flooded on February 5th, the highest level of the Werra with 7.49 m was reported in Hannoversch Münden on February 7th. The average level there is 1.89 m. In the days that followed, frost set in again with the change in weather.
Effects
- Hann. Münden: Werra and Fulda united on the market square to form the Weser
- Gerstungen : water level 4.52 m, the average level is 2.62 m.
- Heimboldshausen : Hattorf-Werke's power station was flooded, including ten workers.
- Vacha : the Werra stood 50 cm high at the lower gate
- Bad Salzungen : Silge and Bahnhofstrasse were under water
- Immelborn : Flooding of the dam on the Immelborn – Steinbach railway line
Damage balance
Several people perished in the floods in Thuringia during the flood. The damage to agricultural land caused by numerous dike breaches was enormous, plus damage to 50 weir and bridge systems, and to the railway systems. The flooded streets and paths were damaged by deep cracks and erosion and in some cases impassable. The number of flooded basements and apartments and the associated damage to property were determined on site by investigative commissions.
literature
- Mathias Deutsch, Karl-Heinz Pörtge: Flood events in Thuringia. The flood of February 1909 . In: Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology (ed.): Series of publications by the Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology . No. 63. Offizin Hildburghausen GmbH Druckhaus, Jena 2003, p. 45-52 .
- Manfred Lückert : The Werra - landscape and life on the river between the Thuringian Forest and Hann. Münden . Verlag Rockstuhl, 2006, ISBN 978-3-938997-26-0 , pp. 113-121 .