Oste

Course of Oste in the Elbe -Weser Triangle

The 153 km long Oste [o ː stə ] ( at the headwaters to Sittingbourne also ɔstə ) is the longest left tributary of the Elbe in Lower Saxony. It flows through the districts of Harburg, Rotenburg, Stade and Cuxhaven and has a catchment area of ​​nearly 1000 square kilometers in Bremervörde that increases to the mouth to just 1700 km ². The section of Bremervorde to the mouth measures about 75 kilometers.

The Oste was, until 30 June 2010, a federal waterway zone 2 from the mill weir in Bremervörde to the mouth of the Elbe. Since July 1, 2010 only still part haul of 210 meters above the axis of the road bridge over the Ostesperrwerk (km 69.360 ) to the mouth of the Elbe a federal waterway waterways of class IV For this, the Water and Shipping Authority Cuxhaven is responsible. On the Oste the Maritime Traffic Regulations applies. Since 1996, the Oste is new kilometriert.

• 2.1 cement plant in Hemmoor
• 2.2 whaling
• 2.3 The Ostesperrwerk
• 2.4 Natureum Niederelbe

• 4.1 Water
• 4.2 River Ferry

Geography

River

The source of the Oste is located on the southern outskirts of Tostedt. From there, it flows as a silent meadow river in its upper reaches first to the west, then northeast to Zeven over and continue north through Bremervörde, from where it is available for smaller vessels. From Bremervörde also tides are the effects of. The southern and western boundary of the flow curve is formed by Endmoränenzüge of previous ice ages, the most prominent section is the Wingst.

In Bremervörde there is a restrictor and a small harbor, so that the Oste from there is navigable by small boats and ships with a draft of up to 2 m after mean high water. Then the now enclosed by dikes River meanders further north in the direction of places Hemmoor and east; at this location is the oldest German Transporter Bridge, the ' Transporter Bridge East Hemmoor ". The at this point on the road leading Oste is especially important for the Elbe crossing on the ferry port existing between the wiper and Gluckstadt.

The river flows a few kilometers east of Otter village between the towns of Belum and Balje in the same funnel.

Oberoste

The source of the Oste is located in an area of ​​marshland at Schillingsbostel in the community just south of Otter Tostedt, which lies on the northwestern edge of the Lüneburg Heath. From there, the Oste river flows as a silent meadow west of deep fracture and sources and pass through the south of the communities Wistedt and Heidenau and by the northern municipality of Tiste. Then flows through the village Sittingbourne, where a well-preserved medieval mill stands on its banks as in Eitzmühlen. In the West Sittensens, on the border town of Gross Meckelson, opens on the right side the ram. The Oste then forms for some time, the border between the municipalities and the United Meckelson Hamersen or Sindelsdorf. The river then enters the church Heeslingen and flows between places Freyersen and Weertzen through and through the center Heeslingens. In Offensen the river leaves again the church and touches the associated Brauel to Zeven. Between Twistemündung and Ostereistedt the Oste changes its flow direction from west to north. The Oste flows to Godenstedt in the municipality of Seedorf along where the left side of the bath and to the right lead the Twiste in place. In the community Selsingen Eitzte and Lavenstedt be passed. The Oste now again forms a boundary of the municipality, this time between Selsingen and Ostereistedt where Rockstedt is located near the river Oste. The river now turns in gentle arc more and more to the north, enters the community Sandbostel and touches the upper Ochtenhausen and Sandbostel. Belonging to Bremervörde Minstedt is the next stop of the river that now Spreckens and Engeo happened, where four kilometers above Bremervördes left side to the southwest of Oste- Hamme- channel through the Devil's Moor towards Hamme of the Oste going on as well as shortly after the driving villages channel. Shortly before Bremervörde opens on the right side the Bever in the Oste entering then in Bremervörde.

Unteroste from Bremervörde

In Bremervörde there is a small river island which is formed by a side arm, which is extended to the main arm since 1950. The river then flows past the Vörder lake.

Shortly after Bremervörde goes on the right side from the Oste- rocker - channel connecting the Oste to the rocker just behind its source at Mulsum. It tracks down Ochtenhausen and Elm the border of the counties Rotenburg ( place Ostendorf ) and Stade intermittently in Gräpel and Brobergen where the district of Stade to spread to the left side area. Here is the left side of the mouth Mehe and the three- county corner to the district of Cuxhaven, now forms the border with the district of Stade, the Oste over a long distance. The Oste now affected lokal area and flows past Laumühlen, the Geesthof, Klint and Kranenburg, Blumenthal and Kleinwörden. It is crossed at Burweg or Hechthausen of the railway bridge of the same train of Hamburg -Harburg to Cuxhaven and the federal highway 73. In Großenwörden the Ronne flows added.

Unteroste from East

When East moves the oldest German Transporter Bridge (1909 completed ) and, after a Basbeck, a district of Hemmoor over. In the east, Hemmoor and Oberndorf now include both banks to the district of Cuxhaven. After Hemmoor the Oste passes the ridge Wingst. At the level of Neuhaus ( Oste), the estuary of the River Oste begins to the north to open in the Lower Elbe.

With the farms mill wiping and wiping the old district of Stade, a few kilometers upstream of the mouth once again touched the river Oste. These two farms ( belonging to Balje ) but the district Itzwörden are in turn separated by the space located in the district of Cuxhaven Geversdorfer.

The river flows with a width of 200 m finally a few kilometers east of Otter village between Belum and Balje the bird sanctuary Hullen in the same large funnel where the Ostebank is. The last section with the Ostesperrwerk located in the district of Stade.

The Oste between Neuhaus ( Oste) and Balje

The last few meters of Oste

Seals are regular guests in the Ostemündung

The old Ostemündung

The new Ostemündung, in winter when the weather is

Soils and terrain

The upper reaches of the Oste is on the Geest. There is for example Sandbostel Granstedt and also inland dunes with partially towering Flugsandaufwehungen. From Gräpel is the bedrock of real marsh soils. The river had formed after the last ice age a separate glacial valley.

Inflows and channel connections

The following table starts with the first river or canal, which flows into the Oste, and ends with the last. In addition to the estuaries and channel connections are listed.

• Wester Fleth
• Aue ( desert farms ) | Aue
• Herwig channel
• Ekelmoorgraben
• Burgsittenser Bach
• Ram
• Alpers Hausener Mühlebachstrasse
• Kuhbach
• Obeck
• Röhrsbach
• Knüll Bach
• Vocal Beck
• Mehde floodplain
• Twiste
• Swimming (river) | Bath

• Selsinger Bach
• Minstedter ship channel
• Oste- Hamme- channel
• Driving villages channel
• Bever
• Oereler channel
• Balbecksbach
• Oste- rocker - channel
• Frese Burger channel
• Elmer Beeke
• Niederochtenhausener Schiffgraben
• Hönau -Lindorf - New Dammer Schiffgraben
• Gräpeler Mühlebachstrasse
• Mehe
• Dike ditch part
• Lamstedter channel

• Laumühlener Fleth
• Beek
• Blumenthaler Schleusenfleth
• Klinter Schöpfwerksfleth
• Horsterbeck
• Width Wiper Schleusenfleth
• Hechthausen Kajedeichgraben
• Engelschoffer Schleusenfleth
• Ihlbecker channel
• Huell Small Fleth
• Large Ronne
• Basbecker Schleusenfleth
• Moorkanal
• Eight Höfener Fleth
• Warstader Schleusenfleth
• Inhibitors Schleusenfleth

• Large Fleth
• Ahrens Fluchter Schleusenfleth
• Herrenfleth
• Braaker Schleusenfleth
• Oberdorfer Mühlenfleth
• Rodhener Schleusenfleth
• Brucher Schleusenfleth
• Moor hustler Fleth
• Neuenseer Schleusenfleth
• Laaker Fleth
• Geversdorfer Schleusenfleth
• Aue
• Belumer Schleusenfleth
• Northern Sielgraben

Towns

Bremervörde

East

Hemmoor

Neuhaus ( Oste)

Along the Oste there are many significant cities and towns. Must be mentioned at the Oberoste Tostedt near the source, Heeslingen and Sittingbourne. From the Unteroste at Bremervörde count plus Hechthausen, east with the Transporter Bridge, Hemmoor and Neuhaus.

History

Your name has probably received the Oste before 1000 BC. He is said to come from a form of Indo-European, which was before the emergence of the common Germanic, and is adjacent to numerous similar forms such as in Osnabruck, the various extensions of a river, stream, water are descriptive word from *. The exact meaning of the word with ablaut on -t can not be reconstructed. From Oste also the name Ostinggabi ( Ostegau ) for a field in the area of the river arose in the Middle Ages then.

For a long time was the last solid crossing the river in front of the mouth, 74 km away in Bremervörde, where first a ford could be used ( VOERDE is a Low German form of ford ) and soon a bridge had been built. Here there was a water mill. The bishops of Bremen resided a long time in the Bremervörder castle, causing the ship traffic was there quite large. After the Peace of Westphalia and the end of the diocese, the vessel traffic shifted increasingly to the underflow.

Bremervörde was an important point on the route from Hamburg to Bremen, to which both the Oste could be easily crossed and a ridge of the crossing of the Moore allowed the south ( Teufelsmoor ) and north were. Therefore began early to collect tolls in Bremervörde. It was only in 1825, this practice was abandoned.

First reported in 1250 by the ship traffic on the Oste, as many Ewer already navigated the river.

1690 reported Johann Ernst Rist that dikes would have led to the siltation and siltation of Oste, which obstructed shipping before Bremervörde and the number of existing large quantities of sturgeon and salmon decreased.

A first flow control was 1759-1764 running on about 6 km stretch from Bremervörde downstream. Between 1808 and 1882 a total of 239 groins were built as part of larger scheme works. The banks remained largely unpaved.

The first major intervention in the course of the river took place in 1928, when the mouth of the largest tributary of the Elbe was further down west towards Cuxhaven.

Reached its climax in the navigation on the Oste at the beginning of the 20th century, as with countless Ewern almost all to be transported in larger quantities of goods were moved. In the course of the century, this traffic increased from resistant but because of technical progress and better infrastructure other possibilities, such as road and rail could be more economical. Last consisted of only small movement of the Hemmoorer cement plant. Between Bremervörde and Hechthausen the only goods still consisted of three to four fertilizer shipments annually after Gräpel that took place until the 1980s. In the 1990s this traffic came to a definitive halt.

Cement plant in Hemmoor

Around 1864 the Portland cement plant was built in Hemmoor that faced down its products in Black cabins on ships. Black huts was previously the berth of a brick. The cement factory bought this and built it the largest harbor on the Oste from. 1875 was built at the factory today Hemmoorer Kreidesee for investors with a horse-drawn railway, which was upgraded in 1895 with steam locomotives. The cement has been associated with barges and barges to Hamburg to ship it from there. On the way back coal was transported to the factory. At peak times in the 1960s, nearly 500,000 tonnes were handled. Black huts was operated after the end of the factory in 1980 yet, and spread mainly fertilizers and coal around, but presented on 22 December 1997 finally stops operating.

Whaling

Merchant Johann Thumann from Geversdorf drove in 1766 the purchase and equipment of a whaler named " East power " ( in the sources from this period also "East Stroom ", "The East Electricity " or " The Oste current " called ) that the Greenland should hunt and was stationed in Geversdorf. He provided the blubber to boil off to Hamburg. It was established a corporation, to the many merchants and richer peasants march were involved. Thumann has been its Managing Director. The annual fishing trips under three different commanders proceeded with very changeable success. While in 1768 with 7 ¼ " fish " returned 1775 not one was caught. Was closed down after the ride in 1777 Due to continuous quarrels with Thumann, who appears as an unpleasant business partners in the sources, and perhaps because there is not enough profit.

Between 1767 and 1777 the ship is caught 37 7/12 Whales and 1336 ½ Quardelen Tran and 17,310 pounds of baleen have provided. A Quardeel equivalent to 3 tons à 200-226 pounds, the total amount was thus at least 801 900 pounds.

Other whaling operations of the Oste from were planned. The equipment of a whaler by Neuhaus merchants Ahrens and Ulex failed in 1788, but in 1799 a society was founded in the East, a ship with 40 crew sent to Greenland in 1800 and successfully returned. There remained but due to the Napoleonic period in this one ride.

1814 planned Thumann Johann junior re- Greenland journey with two ships. Whether this was done is not known. 1816 but drove the brig " Friendship " on Greenland trip, which was a commercial flop. The Thumann family was in financial difficulties, but Thumann Johann tried to struggle financially free with renewed equipment of the vessel. 1819 to 1821 she made three more trips, all of which proceeded with niederschlagendem result. Thumann and some share taker of the company were now finally bankrupt.

In Geversdorf there was a Tranbrennerei before 1800.

The Ostesperrwerk

After the flood in 1962, it was decided to build the Ostesperrwerk. Besides the actual Oste 1968 was built between the Belumer dike in the west of the Oste and Horne, a village part Baljes, a channel and the locking mechanism and later diverted the river Oste there at Neuhaus. The barrage consists of five passages of each 22 m wide. The outer openings can be closed by segment flood gates. In the middle there is the ship passage of two Stemmtorpaaren. Furthermore, a bridge exists for dyke defense. The height up to which the locking mechanism is safe, is 7.80 m, which no longer corresponds entirely to the level of the new Elbe dyke with about 8.40 m. The dikes of Oste have a height of 5.30 m to 5.90 m.

Since the commissioning of the barrage, there was no more damage from storm surges. The floods of 1972 and 1999 remained without consequences for the field of Oste.

Natureum Niederelbe

The oxbow lake of the Oste, which was dammed by the construction of the barrage and relocation of the dike line from the river, is now the so-called ' Baltic sea ' with a leisure center ( water-ski, sand beach, etc.). On the artificially elevated by hydraulic Island Natureum the Lower Elbe was built, which informs on over 60,000 m² outdoor area as well as in several buildings on the flora and fauna of the North Sea coast. In the outdoor area also has a fishing boat from the year 1892. The " Erna Becker " was built in Cranz as sailing and fishing with two large Hamen ( rectangular frame) that hold the bag-shaped nets open, in the area of the river Elbe and Oste between Kleinwörden and Sethlerhemm.

Flora and Fauna

The Oste River, is the longest river between the Weser and Elbe, has a great ecological importance, since it is not straightened and in large part has a semi-natural shore. For example, one of the mouth area with its natural tidal range to the Wadden Sea. With a water quality from stage II ( moderately polluted ) the Oste is continuous relatively clean, although bring some tributaries partly water quality class III ( very dirty ) and even III -IV ( very dirty ). The river is rich in fish and is considered the first German river with a tapered self salmon population.

Previously, the sturgeon as well as the salmon was in the Oste home and even the most common fish at all - so numerous that is narrated that the service personnel have outraged and demanded to assure that there would be to eat no more than twice a week interference ( like, however, is handed down from other areas, so that one can not assume that it was at this protest to a historical fact is ). Today, the fish is probably extinct or nearly extinct. In recent decades there has been only sporadic sightings. The Lamstedter fishing club strives for the offspring of these fish species using imported eggs and trapping spawning -bearing females for breeding and for subsequently releasing.

The most common fish is today instead of the stint.

More occurring fish are whitefish, eel, carp, pike, bream, stickleback and river lamprey, shad, and walleye feint. The shores are mostly dominated by reed zones.

Close to the Natureum, more precisely on the sandbanks in Ostewatt, these animals are after the great seal dying again increasingly to be found at the Rammelsberg bay. Since anchoring is not explicitly prohibited at that place, it always comes back to disturbances of seals and near breeding birds by recreational craft.

Use

The Oste is hardly any traffic nor by professional skippers. The exceptions included a Hamenfischer and the Mocambo, the oldest motorized passenger ship in Germany, organized with the excursions and nature walks.

• River kilometer 0.0: Northeast edge of the mill weir Bremervörde
• River miles 0.5: slipway, Schlengelanlage, Bemervörder Yacht Club,
• River kilometer 12.2: Near the village of Gräpel, a privately -operated hand- drawn cable ferry
• River kilometer 17.6: private sector ferry, for the farmers, a motor-driven cable ferry
• River kilometer 23.4: slipway, boat ramps of the park Geesthof
• River kilometer 29.8: the railway bridge (Stade Cuxhaven )
• River kilometer 30.7: Road bridge B73
• River kilometer 31.0: jetty Hechthausen
• River kilometer 47.6: Transporter Bridge in East
• River kilometer 47.9: Road bridge and boat launch east
• River kilometer 49.8: loading and unloading place " Black Lodges " with crane, for seagoing vessels with a draft of 4.5 m and a length up to 85 m, no sports boat launch.
• River kilometer 55.4: Boat investment community Oberndorf
• River kilometer 55.6: bascule bridge Oberndorf
• River kilometer 64.2: jetty Seglervereinigung Oste in Geversdorf
• River kilometer 64.4: bascule bridge Geversdorf
• River kilometer 67.7: boat launch and marina with boat slip (only flood ) community Neuhaus
• River kilometer 69.5: Storm surge barrier and lock of bascule bridge Balje
• River kilometer 74.6: confluence with the Elbe- km 707

Water

The Oste is passable with good water level of Burgsittensen, otherwise from Sittingbourne or Weertzen to the mouth with kayaks and canoes. The upper reaches of Sittingbourne to Volkensen is locked from March 1 to July 15. Below Bremervörde the Oste is also accessible with motor boats. In contrast to the upper reaches of the lower reaches is largely diked. It is subject to the influence of the tides.

Near the Ostesperrwerks at Neuhaus is a water-plant. Moreover, there is also the Natureum Niederelbe which in the border area deals with life and nature, between sea and river. Engine and sail boat clubs are available in Elm and Bremervörde. Kayaks and canoes can be rented in Gräpel, and on Geesthof in Hechthausen at the mill.

Due to the large fish population and the special beauty of the Oste is a paradise for anglers and canoeists, so the Oste is visited not only in summer by anglers and traveled by recreational canoeists. For many people from Hamburg or Bremen travel to. Disregard for the blocking times and driving bans in the upper reaches, the flora and fauna are damaged, for example by affecting the riparian vegetation, the habitat of the kingfishers.

In addition to the Oste exist along the course of numerous lakes that were created during the construction of dikes and are mostly used as fishing ponds or lakes.

River ferries

Since May 2004, the Oste part of the German Ferry Road, a 250 -mile scenic route, the keel and Bremervörde is connecting and the landmarks are the two last German transporter bridges over the Oste and the North Sea-Baltic Canal.

On "River Ferry " upside until the 20th century, more than two dozen ferries, most of which have been by now (as in Geversdorf and Oberndorf ) by bascule bridges or (as in Hemmoor and Hechthausen ) replaced by fixed bridges.

Barge ferries are - apart from a cattle ferry in Schoenau (belongs to Gräpel ) - only in Brobergen and Gräpel in operation; in Gräpel one of the last in Germany that are still drawn by hand. The two ferry Ellen also each part of an inn, which is operated in personal union with the ferryman. The ferries are used not only to agricultural vehicles, which is its actual operating base, especially tourism. Especially in spring and in summer they are used in numerous Radwanderfahrten. The ferry in Gräpel takes place in the period from May 1 to October 15.

Association Osteland

As a " lobby for Oste 'is defined in the Working Group, founded in 2004 Osteland eV, which campaigns for the promotion of natural and environmental heritage and the development of ecotourism in Osteland. The association, which among other Bremervörde and all communities on the Oste and around 430 individual members are represented gives every year when the day of Oste endowed each with 3,500 euros Oste- Culture Award The Golden Pike, has been awarded the German Fährstraße and Literature - and tourism project German crime and road works for the reintroduction of threatened species of migratory fish such as salmon and sturgeon in the river Oste.

Dikes

Today, renewed severe storm surge damage caused by the Ostesperrwerk, built 1964-1968, is unlikely. However, the 7.32 m high barrage is now about 1 m lower than the surrounding dikes.

Deepening of the Elbe

Following several Elbvertiefungen also changed the Oste - to see the increasing siltation of the banks and ports in the tide. In an ecology study of the IBL Environmental Planning GBR and IMS engineer MBH for renewed deepening of the Elbe soil loss at the Ostemündung is ( rkm 703.5 to 710.5 ) is assumed solely by the increased waves and tides of the Ships of about 7 hectares. Since the last deepening of the Elbe in 1999 and 2000, the mouth of the Oste and the drip line has been changed and reduced.