Black Lauter | |
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Source of the Black Lauter in the autumn of 2002
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Country | Germany |
Location | Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg |
Basin features | |
Main source | in Schlatstall, a part of Lenningen 535 m (1,755 ft) |
River mouth | confluence with White Lauter, forming the Lauter 470 m (1,540 ft) 48°32′19″N 9°29′28″E / 48.53861°N 9.49111°ECoordinates: 48°32′19″N 9°29′28″E / 48.53861°N 9.49111°E |
Progression | Lauter→Neckar→Rhine→North Sea |
River system | Rhine |
Tributaries |
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Physical characteristics | |
Length | 2 km (1.2 mi) |
The Black Lauter is the left hand source of the river Lauter. It rises in Schlatstall from the Lauterquelle well and the Golden hole. Within Lenningen it joins the White Lauter, forming the Lauter.
At the mouth of the Kohlhau Valley, where it joins the Lenningen valley, lies the village of Schlatstall, which is now a part of the municipality of Lenningen. Near this village, there are a total of six karst wells. The sources, the narrow valley and the village are a popular hiking destination. The sources are part of a nature reserve. The two most important wells in terms of volume, are the Lauterquelle and the Goldloch.
The Lauterquelle, or Lauter Well, (48°31′27″N 9°29′23″E / 48.52403°N 9.48971°E) is 20 metres (66 ft) ahead of the Lauter Mill, where the water-impermeable valley floor emerges. This source is so strong and rich that it could drive an overshot mill, the Lauter Mill.
The Goldloch, or Golden Hole, is only periodically active. This cave (48°31′25″N 9°29′28″E / 48.52352°N 9.49098°E) is about 100 metres (330 ft) east of the other sources. The discharge varies between 200 and 3,000 litres per second (53 and 793 USgal/s). The mouth of the cave was extended to its present size by miners in 1824–25. No gold was found.