Gabelwehr Zabeltitz
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Gabelwehr Zabeltitz
Flowing northwards from Walda via the Baudaer Mill, the Röder splits at the Großes Gabelwehr weir into:
- the Große Röder (Zabeltitz – Raden – Frauenhain – Gröditz – Stolzenhain – joining the Geißlitz near Saathain)
- the Geißlitz (west of Raden – Frauenhain – Pulsen – Gröditz – Stolzenhain – Saathain – where it joins the Große Röder east of Würdenhain to flow into the Schwarze Elster)
- the Kleine Röder (Görzig – Koselitz – Spansberg – Kröbeln – Oschätzchen – Zobersdorf – Zeischa – flows into the Schwarze Elster before Bad Liebenwerda)
A fork weir near Zabeltitz already existed at the beginning of the 15th century. Over the centuries, legal disputes about the fork weir have continued to this day, particularly regarding the structural maintenance of the weir and the respective amount of water to be distributed.
Following the sovereign's rescript of February 7, 1618, the fork weir near Zabeltitz was rebuilt. Due to disputes between the owners of the adjacent estates and the Gröditz ironworks/forge and the treasury over the maintenance of the weir, particularly in the second half of the 18th century, there are extensive archival records, including maps. The first ‘Fluth oder Cabel=Wehr’ (historical term: flood or cable weir) south of Zabeltitz was only a wooden dam that divided the Röder coming from the Baudaer mill into the Große Röder and Kleine Röder.
The water flow could not be regulated, or only to a limited extent. The Radener weir (Große Röder) and the Görziger weir (Kleine Röder) west of Zabeltitz diverted excess water (during floods) to the Geißlitz, which begins here.
In 1860/61, a new fork weir was built approximately 600 m downstream below the old weir, which divided the water flow of the Große Röder and Kleine Röder in a ratio of 2:1. However, only the fork weir branch to the Große Röder was constructed. The Geißlitz was therefore not to be allocated any water and was only to serve as flood protection.
However, as the fork weir branch to the Kleine Röder was not completed until the Röder regulation in 1933-36, it became necessary to divert the water from the Geißlitz, which now began at the large fork weir, to the branch of the Kleine Röder (approx. 1,500 m downstream) south of the Zabeltitz-Görzig road.
The Gabelwehr regulated an even flow of water into the Große and Kleine Röder, which was of great importance for the adjacent mills and hydroelectric power stations as well as for feeding the ponds (including those around Zabeltitz, Frauenhain, Koselitz, Tiefenau, etc.). Furthermore, from then on, the volume of flood water could be regulated and diverted via the Geißlitz, minimizing flooding in the Röder lowlands with their villages and agricultural land.
The damage caused to the Zabeltitz fork weir by the ice flood in 2006 made urgent renovation of the weir necessary. The aim was to restore the full functionality of the flood protection system. While maintaining the impoundment level and water distribution, the conversion of the sluice weir to a hose weir, which can be lowered in the event of flooding, was completed in 2009.
At the same time, the construction of fish ladders on the Große and Kleine Röder rivers took into account the requirements for the design of the passability of watercourses. The entire facility is equipped with automatic measurement and control technology.
Sources: Dietmar Enge, Treugeböhla; LTV Sachsen
