Ruetz

The Ruetz north of Schoenberg in the early summer

The upper reaches of the Ruetz in Unterbergtal

The Ruetz is a 35 km long left tributary of the Sill in Tyrol, which drains the Stubai Valley.

Course

The Ruetz built near the main Alpine ridge from the confluence of Fernaubach and mother mountain stream in the Mutterbergalm, right at the base of the ski area Stubai Glacier. The headwaters are fed by the glaciers of the main ridge of the Stubai Alps. The Ruetz initially flows northeast through the Unterbergtal, the uppermost portion of the Stubai valley, takes between Milders Neustift and the upper mountain stream from the left and at the Neder Pinnisbach of right. Then it happened Fulpmes where the silt Lauterbach joins from the left. Below Fulpmes, the Ruetz has deeply cut into the old valley floor, on the Telfes and bodice are. In Schönberg im Stubaital it turns north and flows parallel in a narrow gorge to Sill. After the Ruetz has passed under the bridge Stephan, it opens shortly after the Wipptal in the Sill. At the mouth of the municipalities of Schoenberg, Mutters and Innsbruck meet together.

Catchment and water management

The Ruetz has a natural catchment area of 321 km ², of which (as of 2007 ) are 24.6 km ² (7.7%) glaciated. Through the derivation of the Alpeiner creek, the headwaters of the upper mountain brook, in memory Längental Kraftwerksgruppe Silz the effective catchment area is reduced by 23.7 km ². The highest point in the catchment area is Zuckerhütl with 3507 meters above sea level. A.

The average discharge at the level Krößbach, 20 km above the mouth, is 5.31 m³ / s, which corresponds to a runoff of 41.6 l / s · km ². The Ruetz has a nivo - glacial runoff regime with a strong amplitude, which is significantly affected by the snow and Gletschereisschmelze. In the winter months the runoff is lowest in spring he increases significantly and reaches its peak in the summer before he goes back quickly again in the fall. The monthly mean outflow richest month of July is 14.2 m³ / s more than 24 times as high as that of the outflow poorest month of February at 0.58 m³ / s The average discharge in Fulpmes, 8.2 km above the mouth, is 9.52 m³ / s, with a runoff of 33.8 l / s · km ².

The Ruetz was up to they're built a feared whitewater river and taught especially in the municipality of Neustift in the Stubai Valley several times devastating damage to, most recently in 1987. Via the Sill were the effects occasionally noticeable to the Inn Valley.

Economic use

From 1912 to 1983, the waters of the Ruetz of Fulpmes was passed over an aqueduct to Schönberg and from there through a pressure line to Ruetzkraftwerk to generate traction power. Since 1983 produces a shaft power plant in Fulpmes current for the ÖBB, including the power supply to the burner rail.

Environment

The shores are installed continuously from Ranalt to Fulpmes, in this area, the river bottom is partially attached. In the upper reaches and in the canyon stretch of bodice to the mouth of the river runs a little closer to nature. The Ruetz is used throughout the course on water quality class I-II.