Ilmenau (river)
Course of the river Ilmenau in Bad Bevensen
Template: Infobox River / Obsolete
The Ilmenau (Im) is the source river Stederau 107 km long left or southern tributary of the Elbe river in the northeastern Lower Saxony ( Germany ). It is by far the largest river of the Lüneburg Heath. From the Abtsmühle in Lüneburg to the confluence with the Elbe at km 599 is a federal waterway for which the Water and Shipping Authority Lauenburg is responsible.
Course
The river originates in the Lüneburg Heath south of Uelzen from the headwaters Gerdau ( coming from the northwest, slightly larger ) and Stederau ( coming from the south, a little longer). The Ilmenau flows from Uelzen, where it flows through the Wipperau also water from the east, mostly in the north via Bad Bevensen and Lüneburg to Winsen. There she takes on her largest tributary, coming from the south Luhe. Even before that, west of Barum meets the Ilmenau along with the coming of the right Neetzekanal, which was built in the 19th century between Walmsworth at Rullstorf and St. Dionys. 300 m flows, an also from the right, the Barumer Schöpfwerk channel, a compound of Neetze with the Ilmenau. From here to over 4 km before its confluence with the Elbe from 1886 to 1890, the natural course of the river was replaced by an artificial a reclaimed river bed. This 11.6 km long side channel " Ilmenau channel ", shortens the shipping lane to 6 km. Simultaneously, a pumping station was built in Laßrönne. Before flowed the river Ilmenau wild through this valley. In Tönnhausen the bed of the old Ilmenau is still preserved. In Hoopte, which is situated in the far northwest suburb of Winsen ( Luhe), the Ilmenau river flows from the south in the coming from the east flowing river Elbe. At the Ilmenau mouth to protect against storm surges the Ilmenau barrage was put into operation in 1974.
Water quality
From its headwaters as far as Lüneburg, the Ilmenau, the water quality II: moderately polluted ( betamesosaprob ). North of Lüneburg to the mouth of the Elbe water quality is II -III: critically polluted ( beta to alphamesosaprob )
Traffic routes
The Ilmenau is from Lüneburg ( 0.00 km ) downstream classified at 28.84 km length and as navigable inland road: km 0.00 to underwater sluice Fahrenholz class I, from there to the mouth of class III. On the route from Lüneburg to Hoopte are three locks (with Bardo Wick, km 5.60, Wittorf, km 12,35 and Fahrenholz, km 17,70 ) to happen. The locks are each 45 m long and 6.5 m wide. The water of the lock Fahrenholz is already in the tidal area of the Elbe. The loaded draft is 0.9 m, the bridge headroom at Ilmenau barrage is 7.20 m above the mean Tidewasserstand. The traffic engineering importance of Ilmenau is low today. Earlier it was supplied as a wood processing factory on the waterway. Also an early upstream and downstream of Lüneburg traffic for an excursion boat has set his journeys.
On 14 August 2009 the Ilmenau bike path was opened. He leads from Bad ground pond or for more experienced cyclists alternatively from the Museum Hosseringen for a distance of 120 km north to Hoopte on the Elbe.
Water
In the section between Uelzen and Lüneburg Ilmenau offers a brisk flow with only a weir below Bad Bevensen and beautiful landscapes. It is therefore well suited for hiking trips by canoe or kayak.