The Lichte is a right

tributary A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...

of the Schwarza in

Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, and is long.

Sources

The Lichte rises as the ''Little Lichte'' () in

Neuhaus am Rennweg Neuhaus am Rennweg is a town in the district of Sonneberg, in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated in the Thuringian Forest, 17 km north of Sonneberg, and 22 km southwest of Saalfeld. The former municipalities Lichte image:Wallendorfe ...

in the

Thuringian Highland The Thuringian Highland, Thuringian Highlands or Thuringian-Vogtlandian Slate MountainsKohl, Horst; Marcinek, Joachim and Nitz, Bernhard (1986). ''Geography of the German Democratic Republic'', VEB Hermann Haack, Gotha, p. 7 ff. . ( or ''Thüringis ...

Course

The Lichte flows north through the

Thuringian Forest Nature Park Thuringian Forest Nature Park () is one of two nature parks in the state of Thuringia, Germany. Founded in 1990, and expanded in 2018, the nature park now covers and area of more than . It extends around the Rennsteig and comprises almost the ent ...

, first through the Finsterer Grund (Dark Valley), where a now closed section of the Sonneberg – Probstzella single-track railway line passes over it on a viaduct. It then reaches the municipality of

Lichte image:Wallendorfer Porzellan Manufaktur.jpg, 220px, Wallendorfer Porcelain Manufacture, Oct. 2006 image:Talsperre Leibis Lichte in August 2009.jpg, 220px, Leibis-Lichte Dam, 102.5 m high Lichte is a village and a former municipality in the Sonn ...

, which extends for approximately along its banks. In the centre of Lichte (in the Wallendorf section) the

Piesau Piesau is a village and a former municipality in the district of Sonneberg in Thuringia, Germany, close to the Thuringian Rennsteig. Formerly in the district Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, it is part of the town Neuhaus am Rennweg since January 2019. It ...

joins the Lichte. Below the municipality of Lichte, the river passes through a roughly long and deep gorge, which ends in the Deesbach Forebay (height ). This is followed by the Leibis-Lichte Dam, the second tallest valley dam in Germany, high. The municipality of Unterweißbach borders the dam and extends for approximately along the river, which then empties into the Schwarza to the west of the municipality at Mankenbachsmuehle. The Lichte and Piesau both have unusually steep and deep gorges, the difference between hill tops and valley bottoms often exceeding .

Tributaries

The rivers and streams in the area of the Lichte valley have been known for centuries for deposits of

placer gold Placer mining () is the mining of stream bed deposits for minerals. This may be done by open-pit mining or by various surface excavating equipment or tunneling equipment. Placer mining is frequently used for precious metal deposits (particularly ...

and are considered the most significant sources of gold in Germany. Recreational

placer mine Placer mining () is the mining of stream bed deposits for minerals. This may be done by open-pit mining or by various surface excavating equipment or tunneling equipment. Placer mining is frequently used for precious metal deposits (particularly ...

rs continue to find occasional gold nuggets.Rich. Christian Kreibich
Goldwäscherei

References

{{Authority control Rivers of Thuringia Lichte Rivers of Germany

Sources

Course

Tributaries

See also

References