Niers

The Nier at Weeze

The Nier is a river in the Lower Rhine area, which runs parallel to the Meuse and the Rhine on the east side of the German -Dutch border. In Goch it turns west to flow at Gennep (Netherlands) in the river Meuse. The length of the Nier is 117.7 km (of which approximately 8 km on Dutch territory ). Its catchment area covers 1380.63 square kilometers, and is (as of 20xx ) inhabited by 735,000 people.

Between Nier and Rhine there is a watershed.

The headwaters of

The headwaters of the Nier is Kuckum, the eastern area of ​​the city Erkelenz. The Nier had previously several sources, the main sources were at Zourshof in Kuckum and the " klocken leap" in Keyenberg. The Nier also receives inflow by various small streams ( drainage ditches ), such as the direction of Köhm Borschemich which opens into Keyenberg in the Nier. In the Köhm also water from the grave of the House Keyenberg, which in turn was fed by springs flowed.

The sources are now dried up by the lignite opencast Garzweiler. Thus, the natural water flow does not drop further still, the Nier on the upper reaches, for example Zourshof, Sümpfungswasser from the open pit is supplied through pipelines. The source on Zourshof is also on the future site of the mine, which is dredged.

Run

From Kuckum the Nier flows through Wanlo Wickrathberg, Wickrathberg, Odenkirchen, Reydt, Mönchengladbach, Neersen, Viersen, Süchteln, Grefrath, Wachtendonk, Straelen, Pont, money, wagering, Veert, Kevelaer, past Castle knowledge further by Weeze and Goch, crossed on the way to the Dutch Gennep the border, and flows into the Meuse at Gennep.

Gradient

The gradient in the upper reaches about 60 centimeters per kilometer, in the middle and lower reaches of 25 to 30 centimeters per kilometer, bringing the Nier is a typical lowland river. Overall, between source and mouth just 70 meters difference in height (compared to the approximately the same length Wupper overcomes in its course about 400 meters). The flow rate is normally about 2 kilometers per hour.

Water quality

In the catchment area of the Nier around 65 million cubic meters of groundwater are processed into drinking or industrial water.

24 sewage treatment plants and sewage treatment plants treat the sewage mixed with rain water in the region. Annually perform the treatment plants of the Nier about 83 million cubic meters of waste water to be purified. In the summer makes the treated wastewater from a large part of the amount of water in the Nier. This places special demands on the sewage treatment plants, as their cleaning performance due to the proportions has great influence on the overall water quality of the river. The Nier is one of the most heavily used rivers in North Rhine -Westphalia.

In recent years, the water quality has improved considerably. This is also evident that re- colonize numerous fish species Nier.

According to the press release of 13 October 2012 " re living in the Nier " Biological Station Krickenbecker lakes has demonstrated 32 fish species in Nier.

Tributaries and canals

(from source to mouth ): the upper reaches up to and including Mönchengladbach: Köhm, high Neukircher flow, carrot, Beller Bach, Gladbach and Triet Bach.

Just north of the treatment plant Mönchengladbach- Neuwerk and southwest of Willich -Neersen flows from the right coming from Schiefbahn Cloer. It has a length of about 6.7 km, its catchment area is about 10.22 square kilometers and extends substantially over the southern areas of the Willicher Districts Schiefbahn and Neersen.

Between Viersen one hand, and Willich- Anrath or -Neersen other hand, gives out of the west coming from the Viersener city Hammerbach. The catchment area of the hammer Bach is approximately 13.75 square kilometers and extends to approach the outskirts of Mönchengladbach. The villages Bach, as " Viers " namesake of the city, flows today only east of the urban area on the surface and flows ( combined with the Alsbach ) also coming from the west at Clörath in the Nier.

Slightly southwest of Grefrath - Oedt flows from the right to herein as " branch channel " designated channel III3b, not least drained by its own main tributaries, the channel III C and Willich Flöth, an extensive area of ​​over 80 square kilometers, up to the Krefeld outskirts ranges.

Behind Wachtendonk opens the Cute in the Nier. It has a length of 28 kilometers, passing through the Krickenbecker lakes and has a catchment area of about 180 square kilometers.

In the money Nierskanal branches, which runs on the German - Dutch border and north of Arcen en Velden in the Meuse ends ( serves as a spillway for the lower Nier, built in about 1777? ). The Nierskanal used partly the former bed of the fossa Eugeniana. Also in money flows, named after the town of Geldern Fleuth, which has a length of about 27 km and a catchment area of ​​170 square kilometers, in the Nier. The Issumer Fleuth with a length of 25 kilometers and a catchment area of ​​approximately 120 square kilometers opens in Kevelaer in the Nier. At the height of the war cemetery at Weeze the Kervenheimer Mühlenfleuth opens into the Nier.

The Kendel rises near Weeze, is 25 kilometers long and flows on the German- Dutch border near Hommersum in the Nier. The catchment area of ​​Kendel is 25 square kilometers.

History

Geology

The up to 500 meters wide valley in which the Nier runs today, is a created from the Rhine valley. This was about 200,000 years ago during the last glacial period (Saale ice age ) further displaced by the up to the Schaephuysener heights reaching glaciers to the west. One can see from the up to 2 meters high terrace edges of the Nier -Auen the boundaries of the then resulting glacial valley today.

Use

The Nier has been straightened over the last centuries and provided with weirs. For operation of the emerging until the end of the 19th century mills of the river was partly relocated in order to gain height for the mill wheels. It came as a total of 52 mills on the course of Nier. Based on the length meant that on average every two kilometers a mill. Due to the low gradient of the Nier there were some early high water and flooding problems. With the onset of industrialization in the second half of the 19th century and the associated rapid population growth there has also been problems with sewage and sludge, as the wastewater was then not yet clarified. In particular, the residents around the area of Mönchengladbach textile industry with its color and tannins contributed a large share to the pollution. The Nier developed into a sewer and the previously existing large variety of fish, plants and small creatures dwindled.

Mansions on the Nier

The marshy areas along the Nier led to the river early formed a natural boundary of different territories. For this reason, many mansions, water castles and palaces were built along the Nier. Many of them are still preserved. In the area of the upper Niersverlaufes to lock Wickrathberg, the castle Odenkirchen, Reydt Castle and Castle Myllendonk, at the middle Nier are before Niersbegradigung in the 1930s the castle Neersen, house Stockum, house Clörath, castle Uda and Dorenburg (now Niederrheinisches open-air museum ). At the lower Nier, these include house Ingenraedt, House Holt Heyde, house Caen, house Eyll, house Vlassrath, house Ingenray, house Diesdonk ( farm buildings of the former castle ), house Golten, Schloss Haag, Water Castle Old Willik, house Gesselen, house Schravelen ( it is only the water mill), house Brempt, Schloss Wissen, Hertefeld house, house Hoest, castle Kalbeck, Kloster Graefenthal (formerly Castle Rott ) and House Dries mountain.

Significantly older the tumuli on the terrace edge at Goch - Asperden and the Roman Burgus at Goch - Asperden. The latter are hardly or no longer visible today.

Niersverband

To control the problems at the Nier was founded in 1927 by the government of the Niersverband. With the construction of sewage treatment plants, the water pollution went back slowly.

In recent decades, numerous measures have taken place to improve the Nier. In the 1990s, the Niersverband has begun to renature parts of the river course. A number of fish species have become home again. Since 2005, large parts of Nier are leased to angling clubs interested.

Recreational value

At long distances to a bank ( or both ), there are biking and hiking trails. The Nier (except in source nearby) navigable by canoes. A section of the Camino runs parallel to the Nier from Goch to Weeze Castle knowledge and Kervendonk a place of pilgrimage Kevelaer.

There are at the Nier conservation areas of considerable size. In these renatured surfaces often the old course was dug up and left to themselves. Because of the high ground water level throughout this dredged turns quickly run full of water; it arise pools with desired length shores. Examples of this are the nature reserve at Clörath Willich-Neersen/Stadt Viersen and the nature reserve area " low-field grass heath " at Mulhouse (municipality Grefrath ). . " Low-field Gr " The NSG was investigated from 1975 to systematically Its Dignity; there were breeding population of the kingfisher and the Honey Buzzard.

The characteristic bird of the vast grasslands of the Nier is strictly protected and promoted little owl, the here nationwide has the largest known population. In some places, there are rows of pollard willows as breeding habitat for the owl. Have increased significantly, the Great Blue Heron, which are used in wet meadows, ditches, ponds, garden ponds and fields food. 2010 hatched a White stork pair on a nest hole in the Clörather mill at Viersen.

In Niersgebiet between Mönchengladbach and Grefrath previously ran several long disused railways of local importance through the area; their paths are now maintained bicycle paths ( Viersen - Süchteln - Vorst - Krefeld; Viersen - Süchteln - Oedt - Kempen; Viersen - Süchteln - Grefrath - Wankum ). In addition, a network of cycle paths along the Nier emerged.

The Nier is like on some routes more a flow-through channel for a stream. Mowed slopes, scalloped curves, straight lines and a parkway -like planting of deciduous trees (poplar, acacia ) are typical.

Ferries to the Nier

In addition to numerous Niersbrücken self-service ferries allow cyclists and pedestrians at several points crossing the Nier:

• The Euroga Adventure Bridge, a hand-operated transporter bridge, between Mönchengladbach- Donk and Willich -Neersen (since 2003)
• In Wachtendonk (since 2012)
• In Weeze - Höst ( between Weeze and Goch, long )