Brown pond

Braunsteich / Brusnik
	Braunsteich in February 2009
Geographical location	District of Goerlitz , Upper Lusatia , Saxony , Germany
Tributaries	Rotwassergraben (dried up), open pit water from the Nochten open pit mine
Drain	Braunsteichgraben → Legnitzka → Lausitzer Neisse
Places on the shore	White water
	Data
Coordinates	51 ° 30 ′ 23 " N , 14 ° 40 ′ 5" E Coordinates: 51 ° 30 ′ 23 " N , 14 ° 40 ′ 5" E
surface	44 ha
length	1 km

The Braunsteich , Brusnik in Upper Sorbian , is a body of water east of Weißwasser in Saxony .

Position and extent

The Braunsteich borders directly on the eastern outskirts of Weißwasser. Only the disused railway line Weißwasser – Bad Muskau separates it from the city . Its water surface has an area of about 44 ha . In the southern part the pond turns into an extensive moor landscape and is almost completely overgrown with reeds. The northern half of the pond has no vegetation and is used by anglers. In an east-west direction, a footbridge, restored in 1994, leads across the pond.

history

The brown pond was artificially created in the 15th century to provide water for the Keulahütte in Krauschwitz . For this purpose, the Rotwassergraben , which flows in a northerly direction, was dammed by means of a dam, which you can still walk along today. At the beginning of the 20th century, the "Waldhaus", an excursion restaurant with a dance hall, was built on the north-east bank of the pond. Destroyed by fire in 1936, it was rebuilt in 1938 and is now a popular destination with a beer garden on the water. The Waldhaus is known for celebrations for up to 120 people and catering for tour groups. In 1929 a Weißwasseraner ice hockey team played for the first time on the Braunsteich.

Originally the Braunsteich was fed by the Rotwassergraben. After this has been cut off by the Nochten opencast mine, opencast mine water is fed into the brown pond.

Flora and fauna

The brown pond is located in the middle of a sander of the Muskauer fold arch . The surrounding vegetation is therefore mainly characterized by pine trees. The Lausitz lowland spruce , a subspecies of the spruce, is characteristic in the vicinity of the pond . In the moor areas south of the pond you can find typical moor plants, especially white birch. The edge of the lake is made of reeds. The most noticeable animal at the brown pond is the mute swan . Various types of ducks also live by the pond and in the reeds. Due to its abundance of fish, the pond is used as a fishing water.

Nature and landscape protection area

The southern area of the Braunsteich including its tributary is protected as a nature reserve with an area of 124 hectares and the entire body of water with the bank area and the northeastern part of the Muskau arch with an area of 615 hectares is protected as a landscape protection area .

The Braunsteich ditch, over which the Braunsteich is drained, leads from the Braunsteich in an easterly direction.

Web links

Commons : Braunsteich - Collection of images, videos and audio files