Weesener Bach

Weesener Bach
Pond at the source of the Weesener Bach
State	Lower Saxony, Germany
Basin features
Main source	south of Lutterloh 80 m above sea level (NN) 52°49′01″N 10°12′46″E / 52.8170472°N 10.2128389°E / 52.8170472; 10.2128389Coordinates: 52°49′01″N 10°12′46″E / 52.8170472°N 10.2128389°E / 52.8170472; 10.2128389
River mouth	north of Hermannsburg 51 m above sea level (NN) 52°50′31″N 10°05′47″E / 52.8420778°N 10.0963194°E / 52.8420778; 10.0963194
River system	Örtze → Aller → Weser
Landmarks	Villages: Lutterloh, Weesen, Hermannsburg
Physical characteristics
Length	13.7 Km

The Weesener Bach, also called the Lutterbach, is a tributary of the river Örtze in northern Germany. It rises in the Südheide Nature Park, south of the village of Lutterloh near Unterlüß, then flows through the Hermannsburg village of Weesen and enters the Örtze north of Hermannsburg after about 10.5 km. The source of the stream lies at 84 m above sea level, its mouth is 54 m above sea level, giving a height difference of 30 metres. Originally the Weesener Bach emerged from a bog region. Most of this was converted into ponds. The ponds have become overgrown in many areas with Water Horsetail. The entire course of the stream together with the banks either side, a total of 348 hectares (860 acres), was declared a nature reserve in 1999. As a result, an almost natural, totally healthy stream has been preserved, whose water quality, apart from its upper course near the source ponds, is of the highest category, I-II, and only slightly polluted. Due to its high water quality, the stream is home to a multitude of rare animals. Amongst the fish that thrive here are Brown Trout, Bullhead and Brook Lamprey. In 1987, 176 species of animals were recorded here, of which 36 were on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. Along the banks and water meadows there are 60 more endangered species, such as vascular plants, mosses, amphibians and reptiles. Even the Kingfisher lives here.

Near the mouth of the stream there is still a water mill (the Luttermühle) with an overshoot water wheel. The mill has been in operation since 1757 as a sawmill.