Vesdre

Map of the High Fens with the headwaters of the Weser

The Vesdre in Limbourg

The Weser (also Weser river; double Vesdre; Wallon Vesse, .. Ndl Vesder ) is a nearly 70 km long tributary of the Ourthe in Belgium. In the first half he runs in the German-speaking area of ​​Belgium, then in the French speaking area. Two miles of the headwaters are located in Germany.

Geography

The Weser river rises in Belgium in the High Fens in the Schennekul only one kilometer west of the German -Belgian border in concentration. First, the still small water flows northward to Roetgen, there in the village two kilometers long by Germany. Before that branches off a 2,500 m long channel, the past, the bulk of the water to Roetgen and recycling effect by the Steinbach of the Weser. This redirection by Belgian forest area was created 1960-1962 in connection with the investment of Wesertalsperre between Roetgen and Eupen. The Wesertalsperre Built in 1938-1962, the most important drinking water reservoir Belgium. It is now considered reasons of nature protection over a filling of the channel.

To the west of Eupen the river reaches the French language area. There the Vesdre flows through Limbourg, whose castle the Belgian and the Dutch province of Limburg was the name by Verviers, the largest city on the Vesdre, and by Pepinster and Francorchamps. The main tributaries also come from the High Fens and open from the left: the Hill (French: Light ) in Eupen, the Gileppe shortly before Limburg and with its source Bach Poleur 33 km long Hoegne in Pepinster. In the city of Liege the Vesdre opens with an average water flow of about 11 m³ / s in the Ourthe River, only two and a half kilometers from its mouth into the River Meuse.

History

The acidic and lime- water of the river was from the beginning of the 17th century source for the burgeoning textile industry, which helped the entire valley to great prosperity to the middle of the 20th century.

Because of its bacteriological purity of the water from the High Fens in modern times is primarily used to supply drinking water. Originally, the dams were designed more for the regulation of the process water for industry.