Erdbach (Mümling)

BW

The Erdbach, in the upper reaches with a minor name also Ernsbach, is a 7 km long right tributary of the Mümling in the Odenwald, which probably gave the city and the district of Erbach Erbach village its name.

River

Headwaters

The Erdbach rises about 600 meters northeast of the local situation of the Erbacher district Ernsbach, flows in a westerly direction through this place and strives union with the only significant tributary, the coming from the south Erbucher Bach. Up to this point, he is also known by the name Ernsbach side. Then the Three Valley follows said last leading through woodland section before the stream reaches Village Erbach.

Erdbachversickerung

Between the village - Erbach and floor home to the creek opposes a ridge of limestone, of which is crossed by protruding into the valley of the Mümling and Eulbacher road. Here near the sports park Erbacher seeps of Erdbach completely in five holes of a river cave sinkhole at the foot of a small cliff.

The on the surrounding hills of the Odenwald long since eroded limestone layers of the overburden escaped by lowering the Michelstädter trench in places of weathering. So here a pending plaice of the Lower Muschelkalk is stopped. The solubility of lime by the carbonated water led to the formation of cracks and fissures, which extended over the course of time. So large underground cavities formed more or less. The water fall thereby in the depth and occur at a suitable point from as sources.

The water comes, as measurements have shown with color additives, three quarters of an hour and a percolation distance of about 100 meters north side of the karst ridge hidden in a grove near the Stockheimer mill light again. The water pours from tümpel like flares out at the foot of the slope.

A second arm of the Erdbachs already leads above - Erbach village to a spot where the water disappeared into the ground in a 10 meter deep shaft and the drop height was used by an ivory carving to drive the machines. After closure of the machines, the water this side arm is trapped on a lawn into two channel inlets and headed underground to the lower percolation point. The water of the upper percolation point was up to the exit on the Stock Mühle 23 hours underground on the go. This suggests a pronounced transition system with lakes, which is already could commit to a length of about 400 meters cavers. The Erdbach cave system is one of the largest karst formations in southern Hesse an impressive and rare geological natural monument.

Underflow

Below the Stockheimer mill the stream bed forms the border between floor home, which is situated on its right bank, and the district of Erbach. The last 350 meters of the crossing under the highway 45 to the confluence with the Mümling the Erdbach is channeled underground.