West Hessian mountainous region
West Hessisches Bergland , also West Hessisches Berg- und Senkenland , is the name for a richly wooded low mountain range, mostly located in Hesse , between the parts of the Rhenish Slate Mountains on the right bank of the Rhine in the west, the Lower Saxony mountain region in the north, the East Hessian mountainous region in the east and the Wetterau in the south.
The West Hessian Uplands represent a major group of units (34) in natural space and are part of the Central European low mountain range as well as the Rhine-Weser watershed .
The Hessian Upland , which combines the West and East Hessian Uplands, corresponds to the geological structural unit of the Hessian Depression in the broader sense, since geologically younger layers of the Zechstein and the Buntsandstein , and in places even younger rocks of the shell limestone , the lower Jura and the Tertiary have been preserved.
Natural structure
The three-digit main units of the West Hessian mountain and sink country (main unit group 34) were mapped in the context of the individual parts of the manual of the natural spatial structure of Germany in 1954 on a scale of 1: 1,000,000, described in 1957 in the 5th delivery and in 1960 in a provisionally final mapping changed once. The detailed breakdown of 1: 200,000 was made for the south on sheet 125 Marburg in 1960, for the north on sheet 111 Arolsen in 1963 and for the somewhat smaller north-east on sheet 112 Kassel in 1969. Very small marginal portions are in the extreme north on sheet 98 Detmold (1959) and sheet 99 Göttingen (1963), in the extreme east on sheet 126 Fulda (1969) and in the extreme south on sheet 139 Frankfurt (1967).
Martin Bürgener, author of sheet 111 Arolsen, adheres to the numbering of the manual, but makes it explicitly clear that, in his opinion, the Kellerwald (344) as part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains is naturally part of the Süderbergland (33), while he counts the Warburger Börde (360), into which the Ostwaldecker Randsenken (341) run out to the north, to the West Hessian mountain and sink country and not to the Upper Weserbergland (36).
The parts located in Hesse were compared again in 1988 by Otto Klausing, who in 1967 was the author of sheet 161 Darmstadt , which is not relevant here , in the book The Hessian Natural Spaces ; In particular, standardization was sought when neighboring sheets did not match exactly, and one of the alternative unit names was declared binding.
A distinction is made between the following natural main units (three-digit code) and the next finer units (one decimal place):
-
34 West Hessian mountain and valley land
- 340 1 Waldecker Gefilde
- 340 1 .0 The Red Land
- 340 1 .1 Korbacher Land
- 340 2 Waldeck Forest
- 340 2 .2 Orpewald
- 340 2 .3 Twister hill country
- 340 2 .4 Arolser plate
- 340 2 .5 Long Forest
- 340 2 .6 Old forest
- 341 Ostwaldecker peripheral depressions
- 341.0 Central Diameter Depression
- 341.1 Rhoder lowering
- 341.2 Volkmars Basin
- 341.3 Wolfhager Hügelland (with Elsbergrücken and Isthaberg )
- 341.4 Naumburg Depression and Ridge (with Elberberger Heights and Weidelsberg )
- 341.5 Wildunger Depression
- 341.6 Hessenwald
- 341.7 Löwensteiner reason
- 342 Habichtwald mountain country
- 342.0 Habichtswald (with Langenberg)
- 342.00 High Habichtswald
- 342.01 Hoofer gate
- 342.02 Langenberg
- 342.1 hawk forest sink
- 342.2 Back hawk forests knolls
- 342.3 Dörnberg and Schreckenberge
- 342.4 Malsburg Forest
- 342.0 Habichtswald (with Langenberg)
- 343 West Hessian Depression
- 343.0 Schwalm
- 343.1 Landsburger Depression
- 343.2 Hessengau
- 343.3 Kassel Basin
- 343.4 Hofgeismarer Rötsenke
- 343.5 Northern hawk forests foreland
- 344 Kellerwald - in the opinion of Martin Bürgener (sheet 111 Arolsen) part of the Süderbergland (33)
- 344.0 High basement forest
- 344.1 Middle Cellar Forest
- 344.2 Wildunger highlands
- 344.3 Large Hardt
- 344.4 Herzhausen-Hemfurther Edertal
- 344.5 Niederkellerwald
- 345 Burgwald
- 345.0 Wetschaft Depression
- 345.1 Northern castle forest
- 345.2 Southern castle forest
- 345.3 Wohratal
- 345.4 Buntstruth
- 345.5 Frankenberger Oberland
- 346 Upper Hessian threshold
- 346.0 Gilserberg Heights
- 346.1 Neustädter Saddle
- 346.2 Northern Vogelsberg foreland
- 347 Amöneburg Basin
- 347.0 Ohm sink
- 347.1 Amöneburg (singularity)
- 347.2 Ebsdorfer Grund
- 348 Marburg-Giessener Lahntal
- 348.0 Marburger Bergland (with Marburg Ridge and Lahn Mountains )
- 348.1 Giessen Basin
- 349 Vorderer Vogelsberg
- 349.0 Lumda plateau
- 349.1 Ohm valley
- 349.2 Giessen ridge
- 349.3 Laubacher hill country
- 360 Warburger Börde - in the opinion of Martin Bürgener (sheet 111 Arolsen) belonging to this and not part of the Upper Weserbergland (36)
- 360.0 Große Börde (sheets Göttingen and Arolsen) = 361.1 Borgentreicher Land (sheet Detmold)
- 360.00 (sheet Arolsen) = 361.10 Borgentreicher Börde (sheet Detmold)
- Desenberg ( singularity )
- 360.01 (sheet Arolsen) = 361.11 Ossendorfer plates (sheet Detmold)
- 360.00 (sheet Arolsen) = 361.10 Borgentreicher Börde (sheet Detmold)
- 360.1 Diemelbörde (on sheet Detmold: 360.0 Diemelbörde + 360.2 Warburger Platten without the extreme west of the western part)
- 360.2 Steiger plate
- 360.0 Große Börde (sheets Göttingen and Arolsen) = 361.1 Borgentreicher Land (sheet Detmold)
- 340 1 Waldecker Gefilde
Landscape characteristics
The tectonics of the Upper Rhine Graben , which continues on the eastern edge of the Rhenish Slate Mountains as far as the Upper Weser Uplands, formed a mountain and depression region here, which merges into the more volcanically shaped Eastern Hessian Uplands beyond its eastern peripheral depression , the West Hessian depression . The mountain ranges do not reach the extreme peaks of the mountain ranges adjoining to the west and east.
If the two more montane parts of this low mountain range reach heights of up to 675.3 m ( Kellerwald ) and 614.8 m ( Habichtswald ), the typical mountain ranges remain at peak heights of around 400 m . Between the mountain ranges exist z. Sometimes larger river valleys and valleys that go below 200 m .
Location of the individual main units
The up to 614.8 m high Habichtswälder Bergland in the north is separated to the west by the Ostwaldecker peripheral depressions (up to 523.1 m ) from the Waldecker Tafel , which is usually between 400 and 500 m high in the summit, and directly to the south of the up to 675 , 3 m high basement forest adjoins. The latter merges in a southerly direction into two mountain ranges, each in peak positions, usually 400 m high, namely the Burgwald (south-west) and the Upper Hessian threshold (south).
South of the Burgwald follow in the West Marburg - Giessen Lahntal (the Lahnbergen to 379.4 m high) and in the east the flat, only at the singularity Amöneburg approximately 365 m reach Amöneburg Basin , the south turn by up to 406 8 m high ( Lumda plateau ) Vorderen Vogelsberg continues. In the far east, in addition to almost all of the mountain ranges mentioned, runs the West Hessian Depression , which follows the valleys of Schwalm (south) and Eder (north).
The north of the Burgwald , the southwest of the Kellerwald and the Upper Hessian Threshold connect the Rothaargebirge with the Vogelsberg as part of the Rhine-Weser watershed .
The many depressions in the West Hessian mountain and depression region led to the formation of loess soils , which is why arable landscapes predominate here.
mountains
The mountains and elevations of the West Hessian mountainous region include - sorted by height in meters (m) above sea level (NHN; unless otherwise stated according to):
- Desert garden (675.3 m) - Kellerwald
- Hohes Lohr (656.7 m) - Kellerwald
- Great Aschkoppe (639.8 m) - Kellerwald
- Tall grass (614.8 m) - Habichtswald
- Great Bear Mountain (600.7 m) - Habichtswald
- Hoher Dörnberg (578.7 m) - Habichtswald
- Isthaberg (523.1 m) - singularity within the Ostwaldecker peripheral depressions
- Weidelsberg (492.3 m) - singularity at the interface between Ostwaldecker Randsenken and Waldecker Tafel
- Hundskopf (470.6 m) - northern Upper Hessian threshold
- Heitzelberg (467.4 m) - Waldecker Tafel
- Wasserberg (412.2 m) - central castle forest
- Mardorfer Kuppe (406.8 m) - Lumda plateau
- Dachsberg (approx. 388 m) - central Upper Hessian threshold
- Christenberg (387.4 m) - western castle forest
- Frauenberg (379.4 m) - Lahnberge
- Ortenberg (379.4 m) - Lahnberge
- Burgholz (379.1 m) - in the west of the Upper Hessian threshold
- Vogelheerd (369.8 m) - Marburg back
- Amöneburg (approx. 365 m) - singularity in the Amöneburg basin
Rivers
The main rivers of the West Hessian mountainous region are the rivers Diemel (only right tributaries, north), Eder (middle) and Lahn (only left tributaries and river valley, south) coming from the west, from the Rothaargebirge . While the two rivers of the Weser river system in the extreme northeast (Diemel) and east (Eder) flow into the West Hessian Depression, the Lahn leaves the mountainous region in the extreme southwest into the Rhenish Slate Mountains after a semicircular course .
Right tributaries of the Wetter , a tributary of the Nidda and thus already part of the river system of the Main , in the Vorderen Vogelsberg in the extreme south, have only a minimal share . In addition, just below the mouth of the Eder, a few left tributaries of the Fulda flow from the Habichtswälder Bergland in the northeast into the Fulda itself.
Important rivers
The most important rivers of the West Hessian mountainous region are listed below, from north to south and internally downriver, i.e. mostly from west to east.
For a better overview or for sorting downstream, depending on the river system, hyphens have been inserted in the DGKZ numbers after the numbers 44 - Diemel , 428 - Eder , 24 - Fulda , 258 - Lahn and 2484 - Wetter .
Natural areas in italics are outside the West Hessian mountainous region, catchment areas and runoffs in italics only contain part of the actual value (see footnotes below the table)!
Surname | Main river |
Length ( km ) |
EZG ( km² ) |
Discharge ( MQ ; l / s ) |
Headwaters (of tributaries) |
Main units |
DGKZ |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Glinde | Diemel (r) | 8.4 | 35.3 | Waldecker fields | 340 | 44-32 | |
Orpe | Diemel (r) | 19.1 | 98.1 | 774.2 | Waldecker table | 340 | 44-34 |
Twist *** | Diemel (r) | 40.8 | 446.7 | 2,685.9 |
East Sauerland mountain range ( Waldecker Tafel ; Habichtswald - r) |
332 (340; 342 - r) |
44-4 |
Calenberger Bach ( Holsterbach ) *** | Diemel (r) | 9.1 | 34.0 | 88.7 | Habichtswald | 342 | 44-52 |
Warmth | Diemel (r) | 33.1 | 157.3 | 1,321.4 | Habichtswald | 342 | 44-6 |
Eat | Diemel (r) | 27.6 | 191.9 | 1,187.8 | West Hessian valley | 343 | 44-8 |
Itter * | Eder (l) | 11.6 | 76.1 | 771.3 |
Waldecker Gefilde ( East Sauerland mountain range ) |
340 ( 332 ) |
428-531 |
Aselbach * | Eder (l) | 6.6 | 18.1 | 135.4 | Waldecker fields | 340 | 428-533 |
Advertising * | Eder (l) | 13.2 | 42.3 | 322.6 | Waldecker table | 340 | 428-537 |
Reiherbach * | Eder (l) | 7.4 | 27.3 | 188.9 | Waldecker table | 340 | 428-538 |
Networks | Eder (l) | 12.9 | 29.0 | 169.5 | Waldecker table | 340 | 428-554 |
Elbe | Eder (l) | 33, | 123.5 | 731.3 |
Waldecker Waldl ( Habichtswald ) |
340 (342) |
428-6 |
Ems | Eder (l) | 34.1 | 146.2 | 753.3 | Habichtswald | 342 | 428-92 |
Pilgrim stream | Eder (l) | 8.8 | 25.6 | 102.2 | Habichtswald | 342 | 428-98 |
Bauna | Fulda (l) | 17.2 | 47.4 | 333.8 | Habichtswald | 342 | 42-92 |
Grunnelbach | Fulda (l) | 9.2 | 24.1 | 150.0 | Habichtswald | 342 | 42-94 |
Drusel ** | Fulda (l) | 11.4 | 11.0 | 96.4 | Habichtswald | 342 | 42-952 |
Ancestor ** | Fulda (l) | 21.4 | 21.1 | 295.5 | Habichtswald | 342 | 42-958 |
aspen | Fulda (l) | 8.6 | 24.3 | 159.5 | Habichtswald | 342 | 42-992 |
Nemphe | Eder (r) | 14.2 | 38.4 | 293.5 | North. Burgwald | 345 | 428-198 |
Lengelbach | Eder (r) | 11.4 | 25.9 | 209.9 | North. Burgwald ( Kellerwald - r) |
345 (344) |
428-32 |
Lorfe | Eder (r) | 11.8 | 24.3 | 245.7 | Kellerwald | 344 | 428-512 |
Banferbach * | Eder (r) | 7.2 | 16.4 | 213.9 | Kellerwald | 344 | 428-535 |
Wesebach | Eder (r) | 25.3 | 63.4 | 618.2 | Kellerwald | 344 | 428-56 |
Savage | Eder (r) | 17.1 | 51.9 | 471.4 | Kellerwald | 344 | 428-58 |
Schwalm | Eder (r) | 97.1 | 1,298.8 | 9,044.5 |
Vogelsberg ( Fulda-Haune-Tafelland , Knüll - r; Oberh. Schwelle , Kellerwald - l) |
350/1 ( 355, 356 - r; 346, 344 - l) |
428-8 |
Wetschaft | Lahn (l) | 29.0 | 196.2 | 1,701.6 | North. Burgwald ( East Sauerland Mountains Edge , Rothaar Mountains - r) |
345 ( 332, 333 ) |
258-18 |
ohm | Lahn (l) | 59.7 | 983.8 | 7,949.8 |
Vogelsberg ( Oberh. Schwelle , Kellerwald , Burgwald - r; Vorderer Vogelsberg - l) |
350/1 (346, 344, 345 - r; 349 - l) |
258-2 |
Zwester Ohm | Lahn (l) | 20.0 | 69.5 | 405.2 | Front Vogelsberg | 349 | 258-334 |
Lumda | Lahn (l) | 30.0 | 131.5 | 950.4 | Front Vogelsberg | 349 | 258-36 |
Wieseck | Lahn (l) | 24.3 | 119.6 | 663.5 | Front Vogelsberg | 349 | 258-38 |
Kleebach | Lahn (l) | 26.9 | 164.6 | 815.9 |
Eastern Hintertaunus ( Vorderer Vogelsberg - r) |
302 (349) |
258-396 |
volume up | Weather (r) | 7.0 | 13.6 | 126.2 | Front Vogelsberg | 349 | 2484-14 |
Äschersbach | Weather (r) | 13.6 | 42.9 | 325.3 | Front Vogelsberg | 349 | 2484-2 |
* Edersee tributaries
** Catchment area and runoff somewhat larger than the information in the table, as the lower reaches are combined with Fulda sections;
*** Discharge value without estuary in North Rhine-Westphalia
Schwalm and Ohm
The two rivers of the table, Schwalm and Ohm , which are by far the longest and richest in water , play a special role. They both arise in the Vogelsberg , which the Ohm leaves after about 45% of its total length and 27% of its catchment area with about 35% of its water volume (see also here ). The Schwalm in turn leaves the Vogelsberg noticeably earlier, but on the right-hand side up to its confluence , about half of its water volume is fed by rivers from the East Hessian mountainous region .
Since the river systems of both rivers drain several main units, they more or less play the role of main rivers.
From the left into the Schwalm u. a. the following rivers running in the West Hessian mountains:
- Schwalm
- Drift (38.6 km, 115.3 km², 980.3 l / s, Vogelsberg / Nördl. VV )
- Wiera (14.8 km, 87.8 km², 589.5 l / s, Upper Hessian threshold )
- Gilsa (20.9 km, 93.6 km², 757.1 l / s, Gils.H. / Kellerwald)
- Urff (20.1 km, 41.7 km², 494.6 l / s, Kellerwald )
Notable tributaries of the middle and lower reaches of the Ohm are:
- ohm
- various smaller left tributaries ( Vorderer Vogelsberg )
- Klein (r, 23.2 km, 163.4 km², 1122.9 l / s, Upper Hessian threshold )
- Wohra (r, 33.8 km, 285.9 km², 2010.3 l / s, Kellerwald )
- Red water (r, 18.6 km, 51.0 km², 221.1 l / s, Burgwald)
Other rivers that cross borders with nature are the Twiste in the northwest, the Kleebach in the southwest and the Wetschaft in the west.
So the Wetschaft, which drains the Burgwald itself and on the left, receives at the mouth of the Treisbach (r, 16.8 km, 68.2 km²) coming from the Rothaargebirge (r, 16.8 km, 68.2 km²) with 810 l / s more water than it itself leads there (666.2 l / s), although at that point it was already fed on the right side from the eastern Sauerland mountain range .
The Kleebach in turn draws most of its water from the eastern Hintertaunus and only via the Lückenbach coming from the right (12.0 km, 38.9 km², 139.7 km) some water from the Vorderen Vogelsberg.
On the other hand, the Twiste springs just under in the East Sauerland mountain range, but, apart from this source region, receives all of its water from the West Hessian mountains. Even the Itter in the north west flows only a little water from the eastern slopes of that mountain edge.
Standing water
The Edersee is by far the most important and largest standing water in the West Hessian mountainous region. Further lakes and reservoirs can be found in the table below:
Surname | Dammed river |
Area ( ha ) |
Catchment area ( km² ) |
Discharge ( MQ ; l / s ) |
Height ( m above sea level ) |
location | Main units |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Edersee | Eder | 11,800 | 1,406.1 | 21,795.4 | 245 | Kellerwald | 344 |
Affolderner See | Eder | 165 | 1.452.4 | 22,104.5 | 204 | Ostwaldecker peripheral depressions | 341 |
Twist lake | Twist | 76 | 125.3 | 828.6 | 210 | Waldeck Forest | 340 |
Drift dam | Drive | 31 | 61.6 | 674.0 | 281 | Northern Vogelsberg foreland | 346 |
Borkener See | (not applicable) | 139 | 3.5 | 177 | West Hessian valley | 343 | |
Singliser See | (not applicable) | 74 | 185 | West Hessian valley | 343 |
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Dierck Henningsen: Introduction to the geology of the Federal Republic of Germany . 3. Edition. Ferdinand Enke Verlag, Stuttgart 1986, ISBN 3-432-88513-X , p. 49-54 .
- ^ Emil Meynen , Josef Schmithüsen (Ed.): Handbook of the natural spatial structure of Germany . Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Remagen / Bad Godesberg 1953–1962 (9 deliveries in 8 books, updated map 1: 1,000,000 with main units 1960).
- ^ Gerhard Sandner: Geographical land survey: The natural space units on sheet 125 Marburg. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1960. → Online map (PDF; 4.9 MB)
- ↑ a b c d Martin Bürgener: Geographical Land Survey: The natural spatial units on sheet 111 Arolsen. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1963. → Online map (PDF; 4.1 MB)
- ^ Hans-Jürgen Klink: Geographical land survey: The natural space units on sheet 112 Kassel. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1969. → Online map (PDF; 6.9 MB)
- ^ Sofie Meisel: Geographical Land Survey: The natural space units on sheet 98 Detmold. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1959. → Online map (PDF; 5.4 MB)
- ^ Jürgen Hövermann: Geographical land survey: The natural space units on sheet 99 Göttingen. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1963. → Online map (PDF; 4.1 MB)
- ↑ Werner Röll: Geographical land survey: The natural spatial units on sheet 126 Fulda. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1969. → Online map (PDF; 4.2 MB)
- ↑ Brigitte Schwenzer: Geographical land survey: The natural space units on sheet 139 Frankfurt a. M. Federal Institute for Regional Studies, Bad Godesberg 1967. → Online map (PDF; 4.9 MB)
- ↑ Map and legend of the natural areas of Hesse (online copy of Die Naturraum Hessens , Otto Klausing 1988) in the Hessen Environmental Atlas of the Hessian State Office for Environment and Geology
- ↑ For inconsistent numbering, please note the corresponding section in the Warburger Börde article !
- ↑ Map services of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( information )
- ↑ Mountain height - according to unknown / not researched source
- ↑ a b Water map service of the Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection ( information )
- ↑ a b c Topographical Information Management, Cologne District Government, Department GEObasis NRW ( information )
General sources
- "Geological overview map of Hessen". Historical atlas of Hessen. In: Landesgeschichtliches Informationssystem Hessen (LAGIS).
-
BfN
- Map services of the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( information )
- Landscape profiles (according to main units)
- 340 ( Waldecker Tafel )
- 341 ( Ostwaldecker Randsenken )
- 342 ( Habichtswälder Bergland )
- 343 ( West Hessian Basin )
- 344 ( Kellerwald )
- 345 ( Burgwald )
- 346 ( Upper Hessian threshold )
- 347 ( Amöneburg Basin )
- 348 ( Vorderer Vogelsberg )
- 349 ( Marburg-Giessener Lahntal )
- Marburg highlands
- Gießen-Wetzlar conurbation
- Großenlindener Hügelland (together with Wetterau)
- 360 Warburger Börde
Web links
- Map / aerial photo of the West Hessian mountainous region