West Hessian valley

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The West Hessian Depression is part of the West Hessian mountain and depression country in Northern Hesse .

Delimitation of the West Hessian Depression
The West Hessian Valley

Geography and geology

Geographical location

The West Hessian Basin extends along the valleys of Schwalm , Eder , Fulda , Esse and Diemel , roughly from Alsfeld in the south to Bad Karlshafen in the north. It separates the East Hessian Bergland (main unit group 34 and D46) with the Knüllgebirge and Kaufunger Wald in the east from the West Hessian Bergland (35 and D47) with the Kellerwald and Habichtswald in the west and is itself counted as part of the West Hessian Upland within which it occupies the main unit 343 . The southern limit is formed by the northern foothills of the Vogelsberg , which is part of the East Hessian mountainous region .

Mediterranean Mjosen Zone

The West Hessian Basin is part of the Mediterranean-Mjosen Zone , a sequence of valley basins that extend from the Rhone Valley over the Upper Rhine Graben , the Wetterau and the Giessen Basin , below the Vorderen Vogelsberg finally to the Amöneburg Basin , from there over the Neustädter Saddle into the West Hessian Lower and continue over the Leinegraben to the Oslograben .

geology

During the Mesozoic , the deposits of the Zechstein Sea were covered with sand . The red sandstone developed from this . Through further uplifts and subsidence , shell limestone was deposited on the red sandstone layer . In the subsequent geological age, the Keuper , an uplift of the landscape took place. Here floods and swamps alternated. In places the land seems to have been reached by older phases of the Lias . The young European fold also had a lasting impact on the area. It led to ditches, and associated prehistoric rocks came to the surface. At the same time, the surfaces of the surrounding mountains were eroded by weathering and drifting . This is how Keuper and Muschelkalk ridges were created, which run through the red sandstone area in a north-easterly and north-westerly direction. As a result of the weathering of the red sandstone, layers of the Paleozoic were exposed. At the turn of the Neozoic era, the Hessian Basin was created , a link between the great ravine collapse from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean . This depression is surrounded by undulating mountains on the east and west flanks. Renewed rises and falls in sea ​​levels led to flooding of the area and the deposition of sand in the Tertiary . Here, extensive forest areas that had formed in the warm, humid climate were overlaid. This is where lignite came about . Only in the more recent period, the Quaternary , did the fertile loess soils emerge in the area of ​​the West Hessian depression.

Flat terrain in the West Hessian Basin is located in the areas of the river lowlands of Schwalm , Eder and Fulda . Otherwise, the West Hessian Depression is a series of thresholds and ridges that reach up to 300 m above sea level ( Weinkopf bei Borken 298 m). The hill country consists mainly of loess , in the north there are isolated basaltic knolls. Mesozoic rocks come to the surface mainly in the northern area, while tertiary sediments predominate in the Hessengau , with layers of gravel, sand and clay. In the tertiary strata in the Borken Basin, abundant brown coal deposits are stored.

and display information about the image
Southwest view from the Heiligenberg castle ruins near Felsberg over part of the West Hessian depression, which is about 200 meters lower. In the center of the front is the Felsberg district of Gensungen , above it in the tree belt the Eder . To the right of Gensungen is the core town of Felsberg with the Felsburg. The Kellerwald can be seen on the horizon .

Waters

The valleys of the following rivers are located in the West Hessian Depression (rivers in brackets only absorb water from the depression):

Ecologically valuable standing waters within the depression are in particular the Borkener See and Singliser See, which were created when mining was closed .

Subunits of the West Hessian Depression

Natural areas in the West Hessian valley
number Natural space Area km² Topographic map
343.0 Schwalm  
343.00 Schwalmgrund 17.83 TK25 No. 5121
343.01 Wasenberger Terraces 75.75 TK25 No. 5121
343.02 Alsfelder Mulde 61.71 TK25 No. 5221
343.1 Landsburger Valley  
343.10 Trockenerfurther fields 12.53 TK25 No. 4921
343.11 Landsburger Grund 36.20 TK25 No. 5021
343.12 Frielendorfer hill country 77.78 TK25 No. 5021
343.13 Borken Basin 24.29 TK25 No. 4921
343.2 Hessengau  
343.20 Homberger Bay 42.02 TK 25 No. 4922
343.21 Wabern plain  
343.210 Schwalmaue 22.43 TK25 No. 4921
343.211 Fritzlar Ederflur 48.55 TK25 No. 4821
343.22 Großenengliser Platte 18.38 TK25 No. 4921
343.23 Fritzlarer Börde 96.37 TK25 No. 4822
343.24 Gudensberger sleeper 29.72 TK25 No. 4822
343.3 Kassel basin 250.62 TK25 No. 4723
343.30 Kassel Fulda-Aue 17.49 TK25 No. 4623
343.31 Kasseler Graben 5.91 TK25 No. 4622
343.4 Hofgeismarer Rötsenke 138.45 TK25 No. 4422
343.5 Northern hawk forests foreland  
343.50 Westuffeln Valley 31.77 TK25 No. 4522
343.51 Langen and Staufenberg plates 29.52 TK25 No. 4522

Taken from the Hessen Environmental Atlas.

The natural area of ​​the West Hessian Basin is characterized by a large number of small-scale sinks and plains.

In the south, in a north-westerly direction, the natural area of ​​the West Hessian Depression begins with the Schwalm (landscape) (343.0) on the upper middle course of the river of the same name with the Alsfelder Mulde , which merges into the Wasenberger Terraces . This is followed by the Schwalmgrund .

This is followed, in a north-easterly direction, by the Landsburger Senke (343.1) accompanying the lower middle reaches of the Schwalm with its sub-units Landsburger Grund , Frielendorfer Hügelland , Trockenerfurther Gefilde and the Borkener Basin .

The transition to the Hessengau (343.2) at the mouth of the Schwalm into the Eder continues in a north-easterly direction over the subunits of Homberger Bucht , Waberner Ebene ( Schwalmaue and Fritzlarer Ederflur ), Großenengliser Platte , Fritzlarer Börde and the Gudensberg threshold into the Kassel Basin .

In the Kassel Basin (343.3) on the lower reaches of the Fulda with the subunits Kasseler Fulda-Aue and Kasseler Graben , the West Hessian Basin turns north-westerly and leaves the catchment area of ​​the Fulda to enter that of the Diemel .

To the northwest, along the Nebelbeeke , which drains over the warmth into the Diemel , the northern hawk forest foothills with the sub-units Westuffelner Senke and Langen- and Staufenbergplatte adjoin .

To the northeast of the Kassel basin , it is the Hofgeismarer Rötsenke , which follows the Esse (Diemel) and finally the lower reaches of the Diemel until shortly before it flows into the Weser . At 138.45 square kilometers, this natural area is the second largest contiguous within the West Hessian Basin.

Name origin

The origin of the name “West Hessian” can only be understood and derived from the comparison with the neighboring natural area of the East Hessian mountainous region . Because of the complete drainage towards the north of the Weser, one can speak of a north Hessian depression.

ecology

Conservation status

In the West Hessian Depression are:

Avifaunistically valuable areas are in particular near Borken (Hesse) , where the Gombeth opencast mine is a breeding area of ​​national importance. The Singliser See is a breeding and resting area and the Borkener See is a resting area of ​​supraregional importance. There are breeding and resting areas of supraregional importance along the Fulda , and breeding and resting areas of regional importance along the Emse . Furthermore, the " Wasenberg - Ziegenhainer fields" near Schwalmstadt are a breeding and resting area of ​​national importance. The nature reserve Borkener See (332 ha) is also a FFH suggestion area .

literature

  • The becoming of Hessen . In: Walter Heinemeyer (Hrsg.): Publications of the historical commission for Hessen . 1st edition. tape 50 . NG Elwert Verlag, Marburg 1986, ISBN 3-7708-0849-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Alfred Pletsch: Becoming Hesse - a geographical introduction . The West Hessian Basin - connecting and dividing axis. In: Walter Heinemeyer (Hrsg.): Becoming Hessens . 1st edition. NG Elwert Verlag, Marburg 1986, ISBN 3-7708-0849-5 , p. 16 .
  2. ^ "Geological overview map of Hesse". Historical atlas of Hessen. In: Landesgeschichtliches Informationssystem Hessen (LAGIS).
  3. ^ K. Weidemann: Kassel - Hofgeismar - Fritzlar - Melsungen - Ziegenhain . Part I: Introductory Essays. In: Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum Mainz (Hrsg.): Guide to prehistoric and early historical monuments . 1st edition. tape 50 . Verlag Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1982, ISBN 3-8053-0573-7 , p. 11-13 .
  4. ↑ a b c Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Landscape profile . West Hessian valley. ( HTML [accessed November 25, 2008]). HTML ( Memento of the original from July 21, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bfn.de
  5. ^ A b Hessian State Office for Environment and Geology (Ed.): Environmental Atlas Hessen . West Hessian valley. ( HTML [accessed November 25, 2008]).