Urtenen (river)

Woolibach, source stream of Urtenen at Deisswil

The Urtenen, also called Urtenenbach, is a 18 km long left tributary of the river Emme in the Swiss canton of Bern. They drained a section of the central Bernese Midland and belongs to the catchment area of the Rhine. The catchment area of ​​Urtenen has an area of ​​about 96 km ².

Geography

The headwaters of the Urtenen is located in the region of Münchenbuchsee. Several small streams that originate on the eastern slopes of the plateau of Frienisberg and on the plateau of Rapperswil ( Woolibach ), unite to 525 m above sea level. M. midst of the valley of the Moss Lake Valley to Urtenen. This turns eastwards and initially feeds the little ones Moossee and shortly after the Great Moss Lake. Latter leaves the Urtenen at Schönbühl. Now flows northeast through a wide valley between the heights of Rapperswil plateau and the rolling hills of gray wood and Length mountain. This Talniederung is filled with moraine of glacial Rhone and Aaregletscher.

In Zauggenried southeast of Frauenbrunnen the Urtenen enters the flood plain of the river Emme. Now, flows northward through the Fraubrunnenmoos on the western edge of the floodplain. Below the village courtyard between Bätterkinden and Schalunen it opens to 478 m above sea level. M. Emme. The water flow is controlled by a weir, so that at low to normal water level of the largest portion on a side channel of the river Emme is led by Bätterkinden, the only north of the village reunites with Emme.

Hydrology

On the entire stretch of river, the slope is only just 0:24 %. The Urtenen is characterized by a pluvial runoff regime, where the average discharge amount at Schalunen s amounts to 1.6 m³ /. The high water fall compared to base flow from quite low, at Schalunen flood peaks with outflows of 15 m³ / s were registered. The Urtenen has few side streams, the most important of which are the village streams of Jegenstorf and Hindelbank. The water quality of the stream is heavily burdened by the intensive agricultural use of the land in the catchment area; well above the level that is required for a healthy biological situation, are ammonium and nitrate content of the water.

History and use

The waters Urtenen name came originally from the Celtic language, the word tribe has urd the importance of the Bubbling.

The Urtenen flowed formerly extensive wetlands. Already in the 18th century, the flood plains was with the reclamation started, so 1780 in Moss Valley, from 1847 to 1852 in Fraubrunnenmoos and 1855-1859 in the field of moss lakes. Then the other sections were channeled and straightened so that the Urtenen to 1995 had no natural river sections more. Since then, measures for the revitalization of the river at several sections in progress.

Previously, the water power of the Urtenen for the operation of mills was used. Addition, one channel for female fountain was derived at Zauggenried who supplied the local mills and the Nagelschmiede with energy.

From the courtyard, at the confluence of the Urtenen in the Emme, leads to a duct system after Bätterkinden whose main branch Urtenenkanal means. This channel system can accommodate both water from the Urtenen and from the Emme. The so- supplied water was used in Bätterkinden among others to drive the mill. The Urtenenkanal opens above the ridge Emmen in the Emme. The duct system is now used to produce electricity by small power plants.