Black Pockau

Black Pockau (Schwarze Pockau)
The Black Pockau south of the Nonnenfelsen rocks between Kühnhaide and Pobershau
Location	Saxony
Basin features
Main source	Source region: in a raised bog northeast of the Haßberg 890 m above sea level (NN)
River mouth	In Pockau into the Flöha 50°42′18.36″N 13°14′6.41″E / 50.7051000°N 13.2351139°E / 50.7051000; 13.2351139
River system	Elbe
Landmarks	Villages: Pobershau, Pockau
Tributaries	Left: Red Pockau
Physical characteristics
Length	ca. 33 km
Discharge	Location: at Zöblitz (3.7 km above its mouth) gauge Minimum rate: Record low: 20 l/s (in 1947) Average low: 438 l/s Average rate: 2.3 m³/s Maximum rate: Average high: 23.6 m³/s Record high: 160 m³/s (in 2002)

The Black Pockau (German: Schwarze Pockau or Schwarzwasser, Czech: Černá) is a left tributary of the River Flöha in the Ore Mountains. This virtually unspoilt wild stream with a length of 33 km is known for the picturesque gorge in its middle reaches.

Its murky waters flowing from bogs in the hills give the river a dark colour. The name Pockau, which was recorded in similar form in 1292, probably comes from the Czech and means "opposed", i.e. a stream flowing from Bohemia towards the north.

The Black Pockau rises 890 metres above sea level (NHN) in a raised bog northeast of the Haßberg in the Bohemian Orwe Mountains. The Chomutovka (German: Assigbach), which flows into the Czech Republic, also has its source here.

After 500 metres the stream reaches the German-Czech border at the old road between Přísečnice (Preßnitz) and Kalek (Kallich) and flows through the Satzung municipal pond (Satzunger Gemeindeteich). From here on, it forms the national border for 13 kilometres, as far as the village of Kühnhaide. In this section it passes the villages of Satzung (the former village of Ulmbach (Jilmová) on the Bohemian side opposite was demolished in 1945) and Reitzenhain (the village of Reizenhain (Pohraniční), that used to be on the Bohemian side, was also abandoned).

In Reitzenhain, from the rafting pond (Floßteich) by the Neue Welt mill, a ditch known as the Reitzenhainer Zeuggraben provided water from the Black Pockau for overshot waterwheels at the old mines near Marienberg. Water is also diverted from the river at the eastern end of Kühnhaide: the Green Ditch (Grüner Graben) once fed water for overshot wheels at the mine on the Wildsberg mountain near Pobershau. The village of Kienhaid (Načetín I), that formerly stood on the Bohemian side of the border here, was abandoned. East of Kühnhaide the river changes direction from northeast to north.