Gschnitzbach

The Gschnitzbach at Trins

The Gschnitzbach before Steinach

The Gschnitzbach is a creek in Tyrol, Austria, which flows through the Gschnitztal and opens into the Sill in Wipptal.

Course

The Gschnitzbach springs from the Lautersee below the exterior and interior of Weathertop in the Stubai Alps and then flows northeast through the Gschnitztal, where he passed the places Gschnitz and Trins. After around 22 kilometers it flows in Steinach am Brenner from the left in the Sill.

In the first few kilometers of the creek loses height quickly, it forms several waterfalls and flows through the Simmingsee. Until Laponesalm about 3 km flow path he has a slope of 18.6%. From there, flattens the average descent and is now only 2.3%, over the entire course 4.4%.

Catchment and water management

The catchment area of ​​Gschnitzbaches is around 112 km ², of which 2.1 km ² ( nearly 2% ) glaciated. The highest elevation in the catchment area is the hawk with 3277 m above sea level. A. The mean discharge ( MQ ) is at the level Steinach, 240 m above the mouth, 4,17 m³ / s, which corresponds to a runoff of 37.4 l / s · km ². The flow regime is typical of a mountain glacier without influence. The maximum discharge in June is more than seven times the minimum in February.

Mean monthly discharges of Gschnitzbaches ( in m³ / s) at the level Steinach Survey period 1951-2009, source:

Environment

The upper course is natural, from about the local area of ​​Gschnitz shows human influence by embankments, waste load and regularly fertilized agricultural land.

It is the Gschnitzbach a summer cold mountain stream with temperatures always below 13 ° C. The water quality class of the stream is the entire course I to II, and offers a good habitat for fish.

The Gschnitzbach is very fast to raging whitewater waters. Especially the underflow is riddled with rapids.