West Hesse Depression

The West Hesse Depression[1][2] (German: Westhessische Senke) is part of the West Hesse Highlands and Lowlands region in the north of the German state of Hesse.

Contents

Geography and geology

Geographical location

The West Hesse Depression runs along the valleys of the Schwalm, Eder, Fulda, Esse and Diemel roughly from Alsfeld in the south to Bad Karlshafen in the north. It separates the East Hesse Highlands (major regional group 34 or D46), including the Knüll hills and Kaufungen Forest in the east, from the West Hesse Highlands (35 or D47), including the Kellerwald and Habichtswald in the west and is itself counted as part of the West Hesse Highlands, within which it is included as geographical unit 343. Its southern boundary is formed by the northern foothills of the Vogelsberg, which is part of the East Hesse Highlands region.[3]

Mediterranean-Mjøsa Zone

The West Hesse Depression is part of the Mediterranean-Mjøsa Zone, a succession of troughs that run from the Rhone Valley through the Rhine Rift, the Wetterau and the Gießen Basin, below the Vogelsberg foothills to the Amöneburg Basin, and from there over the Neustadt Saddle in the West Hesse Depression and continuing along the Leine trough to the Oslo Rift valley.[4]

Geology

During the Mesozoic era, the deposits of the Zechstein Sea were overlaid with sand which then developed into Bunter sandstone. As a result of further uplifts and subsidence, Muschelkalk was deposited on top of the Bunter sandstone layer. In the subsequent Keuper geological stage the landscape rose and flooding alternated with the formation of swamps. In places the land also appears to have been reached by older phases of the Lias epoch.

The subsequent Alpine folding movements also had a lasting effect on the area. These caused the more rigid rock to shatter along fault lines resulting in sunken troughs or rifts and enabling volcanic outpourings to reach the surface. At the same time the surfaces of the surrounding ridges were eroded by weathering and rivers. So Keuper and Muschelkalk ridges emerged running through the area of Bunter sandstone in a northeast and northwest direction. As the Bunter weathered, layers of Palaeozoic rock were exposed again. As the Cainozoic era began, the Hesse Depression emerged, part of the great rift fault from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean Sea. This depression is surrounded by rolling hills on its eastern and western flanks. More recent rises and falls in the sea level led in the Tertiary period to flooding of the region and the deposition of sand. This covered the extensive forests that had grown up in the warm, moist climate, producing the lignite deposits evident today. Not until the recent period, the Quaternary, did the fertile loess soils of the West Hesse Depression appear.[5]

On the river plains of the Schwalm, Eder und Fulda the land of the West Hesse Depression is flat. Elsewhere the West Hesse Depression is a succession of ridges that rise to 300 m above NN (Weinkopf near Borken 298 m). The hill country is mainly covered by loess, in the north there are occasional rounded hills (Kuppen) of basalt and this is also where Mesozoic rocks are found at the surface; whereas tertiary sediments of gravel, sand and clay predominate in Hessengau. In the tertiary layers of the Borken Basin there are rich deposits of brown coal.[6]

Rivers

The valleys of the following rivers are within the West Hesse Depression (rivers in brackets only drain the depression):

Ecologically important lakes within the depression are those created following the cessation of mining activity: the Borkener See and Singliser See.

Sub-divisions

Natural regions of the West Hesse Depression
Number Natural region Area km² Topographical map
343.0 Schwalm  
343.00 Schwalm Bottom 17,83 TK25 Nr. 5121
343.01 Wasenberg Terraces 75,75 TK25 Nr. 5121
343.02 Alsfeld Hollow 61,71 TK25 Nr. 5221
343.1 Landsburg Depression  
343.10 Trockenerfurth Plain 12,53 TK25 Nr. 4921
343.11 Landsburg Bottom 36,20 TK25 Nr. 5021
343.12 Frielendorf Hills 77,78 TK25 Nr. 5021
343.13 Borken Basin 24,29 TK25 Nr. 4921
343.2 Hessengau  
343.20 Homberg Bay 42,02 TK 25 Nr. 4922
343.21 Wabern Plain  
343.210 Schwalmaue 22,43 TK25 Nr. 4921
343.211 Fritzlar Eder Corridor 48,55 TK25 Nr. 4821
343.22 Großenenglise Plateau 18,38 TK25 Nr. 4921
343.23 Fritzlar Börde 96,37 TK25 Nr. 4822
343.24 Gudensberg Kuppen Ridge 29,72 TK25 Nr. 4822
343.3 Kassel Basin 250,62 TK25 Nr. 4723
343.30 Kassel-Fulda Aue 17,49 TK25 Nr. 4623
343.31 Kassel Trough 5,91 TK25 Nr. 4622
343.4 Hofgeismar Depression 138,45 TK25 Nr. 4422
343.5 North Habichtswald Foreland  
343.50 Westuffeln Depression 31,77 TK25 Nr. 4522
343.51 Langenberg and Staufenberg Plateau 29,52 TK25 Nr. 4522

Taken from the Hesse Environmental Atlas (Umweltatlas Hessen):[7]

The natural region of the West Hesse Depression is characterised by numerous smaller depressions and plains.

From its southern end, the West Hesse Depression runs in a northwesterly direction through the Schwalm (region) (343.0) which surrounds the upper and middle course of the river of the same name, beginning with the Alsfeld Hollow (Alsfelder Mulde) followed by the Wasenberg Terraces and the Schwalm Bottom (Schwalmgrund).

Continuing in a northeasterly direction around the middle reaches of the Schwalm is the Landsburg Depression (343.1) with its sub-units the Landsburg Bottom, Frielendorf Hills, Trockenerfurth Plain and the Borken Basin.

The transition into the Hessengau region (343.2) with the confluence of the Schwalm and the Eder continues northeast via the regional sub-units of the Homberg Bay, Wabern Plain (Schwalmaue and Fritzlar Eder Corridor), Großenenglis Plateau, Fritzlar Börde and the Gudensberg Kuppen Ridge into the Kassel Basin.

In the Kassel Basin (343.3) by the lower course of the Fulda with its sub-units the Kassel Fulda Aue and Kassel Trough the West Hesse Depressino swings northwest again and leaves the catchment area of the Fulda, to enter that of the Diemel.

To the northwest it runs along the Nebelbeeke and the Warme which drains into the Diemel, and into the North Habichtswald Foreland with its sub-units of the Westuffeln Depression and the Langenberg and Staufenberg Plateau.

Northeast of the Kassel Basin are the Hofgeismar Depression, which follows the Esse (Diemel) and finally the lower course of the Diemel until just before its confluence with the Weser. This natural region has an area of 138.45 square kilometres and is the second largest within the West Hesse Depression.

Origin of the name

The origin of the name "West Hesse" can only be understood and derived from the neighbouring natural region of the East Hesse Highlands. The catchment area draining northwards into the River Weser can be referred to as a North Hesse Depression.[7]

Ecology

Conservation status

In the West Hesse Depression are:[6]

Especially important avifauna regions are found near Borken (Hessen), where the Tagebau Gombeth is a breeding area of national significance. Other areas of national importance are:

Of regional significance is the Ems river, a breeding and wintering area.

The Borkener See nature reserve (332 ha) is also a Special Area of Conservation.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Dickinson, Robert E. (1964). Germany: A regional and economic geography (2nd ed.). London: Methuen. ASIN B000IOFSEQ. 
  2. ^ Elkins, T.H. (1972). Germany (3rd ed.). London: Chatto & Windus, 1972. ASIN B0011Z9KJA.
  3. ^ Alfred Pletsch: Das Werden Hessens - eine geographische Einführung. In: Walter Heinemeyer (ed.): Das Werden Hessens. Die Westhessische Senke - verbindende und trennende Achse 1. Auflage. N.G. Elwert Verlag, Marburg 1986, ISBN 3-7708-0849-5.
  4. ^ LAGIS: Geological map of Hesse and explanatory text
  5. ^ K. Weidemann: Kassel - Hofgeismar - Fritzlar - Melsungen - Ziegenhain. In: Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum Mainz (ed.): Führer zu vor- und frühgeschichtlichen Denkmälern. Teil I: Einführende Aufsätze 1. Auflage. Band 50, Verlag Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1982, ISBN 3-8053-0573-7, p. 11-13.
  6. ^ a b c Bundesamt für Naturschutz (Ed.): Landschaftsteckbrief. Westhessische Senke (HTML; as at: 25 November 2008).
  7. ^ a b Hessisches Landesamt für Umwelt und Geologie (Ed.): Umweltatlas Hessen. Westhessische Senke (HTML; as at: 25 November 2008).

Sources

External links