Böttsteiner Mühlebach
The Böttsteiner Mühlebach is an artificially created canal in the municipality of Böttstein in the Swiss canton of Aargau .
course
The location of the Mühlebach is near Nünbrünne ("Nine Fountains") above the Bruggbach, but its water is not directed into the canal. Instead, the water from nine springs that emerge from the mountain at this point is taken there and directed into a pond. After the spring water has been drawn in, a small aqueduct leads the water over the Bruggbach. If more water flows in the aqueduct than desired, it gushes over the edge and falls down into the Bruggbach. This allows the maximum amount of water flowing through to be regulated. From here the Mühlebach flows for about 700 meters along the northern slope of the Bötteberg to the east and then flows into the Mühleweiher in the village of Böttstein. Then it flows on between the church meadow and the parking lot of the castle hotel, makes a hard turn to the south to get to the wooden channel of the "Öli" past the castle and the castle chapel. Immediately afterwards it flows through the former grain mill and flows over a steep slope into the Aare . The Mühlebach is a so-called bisse , an artificially created, small canal that flows along the slope in an unnatural stream bed .
history
Since when the artificial canal has existed is unclear. The Mühlebach is first mentioned in a land register from 1615, in which the water rights of the Mühlebach and the Bruggbach were assigned to the lords of Böttstein. The current aqueduct probably dates back to 1874. In that year the mill pond in the village of Böttstein was built because the compensatory pond above was silted up.
In 1902 the water intake was revised again. This time the reason was the steadily increasing demand for drinking water . Notes from a well master from 1902 indicate that the water intake used to be even more complex. According to his father, there used to be a large pond to store the spring water. It was then silted up, which forced the owners of the water rights, primarily the millers , to create today's mill pond as a compensation basin . In fact, the flat mat above the water intake is called “Weihermatt”. The “Map of Switzerland from 1882” shows a large pond west of the “Nünbrünne”. Twenty years later, on the "Map of Switzerland from 1902", this pond no longer exists.
The mill stream drove the mills in the village and until 1902 also supplied the village and castle fountains with drinking water.
Water rights
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A land register from 1615 gives the water rights and thus also the obligations for the two brooks Bruggbach and Mühlebach to the lord of the castle of Böttstein. The Bruggbach and the Mühlebach are still owned by the castle owners to this day, although the small canal now flows through the country owned by at least 15 different private owners.
In the past, the maintenance of the brook was the responsibility of the residents of Böttstein and in particular the local miller. In 1973 the mill was stopped, but it was not until 1991 when the water rights were given up that the last miller was officially released from the maintenance obligation. Today the stream is maintained by volunteers.
In addition to well-documented disputes about the water, there were also specific actions by the Böttsteiners to ensure the flow of the Mühlebach. Probably the most complex took place in 1874 with the construction of the mill pond and the repair of the stream.
future
In 2017 the “Verein Kultur am Mühlebach” was set up with the aim of repairing and maintaining cultural and landscape assets on the Mühlebach. A first repair is planned for 2019.
literature
- "Brief inventory" of the cantonal monument preservation AG, author / inventor: Edith Hunziker, 1999.
- Annual journal 1968/69, No. 9, “History about Böttstein” of the Historical Association of the Zurzach District, author: Hans Erne, Kleindöttingen.
- "Böttstein AG", Swiss Art Guide, from the Society for Swiss Art History, author: Romana Anselmetti.
- Annual publication 1987, No. 18, "Die Ölmühle Böttstein" of the Historical Association of the Zurzach District, author: Paul Zaugg.
- "Böttstein 1987, views - contributions - sketches", editors: Hans Kellenberger, Hanna Vögeli, Theo Minikus. Publisher: Municipality of Böttstein
Web links
- Böttstein community
- Culture Association at Mühlebach
- Maps of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation
- Aargau State Archives