Salzaspring


Location: A7 exit Hann. Münden/Werratal, F80 east 85 km to Nordhausen or A7 exit Seesen(Harz), B243 66 km tp Nordhausen. In Nordhausen F4 turn north towards Blankenburg, at the city limits turn left, follow signs to Mahn- und Gedenkstätte Mittelbau Dora. After the turnoff to Mittelbau Dora turn richt on dirt road, 500 m to garden .
Open: no restrictions.
[2011]
Fee: free.
[2011]
Classification: KarstKarst Spring
Light: n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
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As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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Salzaspring Quellteich:
Size of the spring 2450 m²
Size NNW to SSE 125 m
Depth of spring 30 bis 79 cm
Minimum yield 2131 l/s
Maximum yield 14351 l/s
Medium yield 7041 l/s
Yearly yield 66 bis 446 Mio m³
Average yearly yield 218.97 Mio m³
Altitude of water table 196 m asl
Water temperature 8.5 bis 10.2 °Celsius
Average water temperature 9.7 °Celsius
Average air temperature 8.1 °Celsius
Length of Salza river 58.25 km
Decline of Salza to estuary into Helme 18 m

Grundloses Loch:
Size 190 m²
Depth 35 m
Medium yield 2 Mio km/a
Average water temperature 10,1 °Celsius

Description

Salzaspring is a huge karst spring with one big source and numerous small sources, e.g. the Tabaksbeutel (tobacco bag) and the Stiefel (boot). Those sources are very shallow. The Grundloses Loch (groundless pit) lies to the south and is much deeper. This source is an underwater doline and the water is deep enoughto show the typical green colour of water containing a high amount of gypsum.

The water of the spring comes from three nearby rivers Zorge, Kelle and Wieda. Those rivers flow about 5 km north, on the other side of the Kohnsteins. The water seeps into the gypsum, crosses the Kohnstein underground and reappears here.

The Kohnsteins is a mountain ridge which reaches 300 m asl. The gypsum is mined in a big quarry in the north. But it got a certain kind of prominency, as it was the place of the subterranean V2 factory during World War II. The nearby Konzentrationslager Mittelbau Dora and the subterranean factory are open to the public.

The Salzaspring does not freeze in Winter, a good reason for a very early settlement in this area. The quarter Salza of Nordhausen was founded in 786.