# Echaz > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Echaz > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Echaz.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echaz > Source revision: 1325365137 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **Echaz** (ˈɛçats) is a 23 km long river in [Baden-Württemberg](/source/Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg), [Germany](/source/Germany), a [tributary](/source/Tributary) of the [Neckar](/source/Neckar).[1] It has its source on the [Swabian Jura](/source/Swabian_Jura), near [Lichtenstein](/source/Lichtenstein_(Reutlingen)), south of [Reutlingen](/source/Reutlingen). After flowing through [Pfullingen](/source/Pfullingen), Reutlingen and [Wannweil](/source/Wannweil), it discharges into the Neckar near [Kirchentellinsfurt](/source/Kirchentellinsfurt), which lies halfway between Reutlingen and [Tübingen](/source/T%C3%BCbingen). ## Geography ### Echaz springs The origin of the Echaz is situated close to the Albtrauf south of the district Honau of the municipality [Lichtenstein](/source/Lichtenstein_(W%C3%BCrttemberg)). The *Echazquellen* are situated below [Lichtenstein Castle](/source/Lichtenstein_Castle_(W%C3%BCrttemberg)) at an altitude of 557 metres above sea level at the south-eastern tip of the wedging open corridor of a valley, which continues as a wooded and steep [ravine](/source/Ravine) upwards for almost a kilometre and mostly dry up to the *Ohafelsen*. These springs pour from 60 L/s to 2.000 L/s, on average about 680 L/s. At several places water is leaking out, which collects in the stream bed. However, a large part of the spring water is captured before it is discharged and after treatment is fed into the drinking water supply of the region, which also uses other water, for example from [Lake Constance](/source/Lake_Constance). The lower Echaz springs have the heaviest rainfall. In the karst aquifer they have an underground catchment area of about 90 [km²](/source/Square_kilometres), which therefore continues beyond the very close surface [European watershed](/source/European_watershed) at the Albtrauf far to the south below the plateau of the [Swabian Alb](/source/Swabian_Alb). The Echazquelle is protected under the protected area number 841-50920044 as an extensive [natural monument](/source/Natural_monument). ### Course The Echaz continues to flow through Lichtenstein, the district [Unterhausen](/source/Unterhausen_(Lichtenstein)) and the towns [Pfullingen](/source/Pfullingen) and [Reutlingen](/source/Reutlingen). Below [Wannweil](/source/Wannweil) the river leaves the [Reutlingen](/source/Reutlingen) district and then flows into the [Neckar](/source/Neckar) at [Kirchentellinsfurt](/source/Kirchentellinsfurt) from the right at 305.5 metres above sea level. So the river has a mean bed gradient of about 12 ‰ on the 22.8 km from the *Echazquellen* to the mouth of the river. ### Tributaries List of tributaries from the source to the estuary. Lengths of water bodies usually according to LUBW-FG10 (data record entries), catchment areas correspondingly according to LUBW-GEZG, lake areas according to LUBW-SG10, elevations according to the contour line image on the geodata viewer. Other sources for the data are noted. **Highest possible source** of the *Echaz* at the *Ohafelsen* south-underneath [Lichtenstein Castle](/source/Lichtenstein_Castle_(W%C3%BCrttemberg)) at about 690 metres above sea level - Langwiesenbach, from left in the southern [Lichtenstein](/source/Lichtenstein_(W%C3%BCrttemberg)), 1.2 km and 1.9 km². - [Reißenbach](/source/Rei%C3%9Fenbach) from left in Lichtenstein, 2.3 km and 5.0 km². - Stahlecker Bach from the *Zellertal*, from right at the northern edge of Lichtenstein-[Unterhausen](/source/Unterhausen_(Lichtenstein)), 3,1 km and 8,9 km². - Heergassenbach, from the right in [Pfullingen](/source/Pfullingen) into the Echazkanal there, 1.3 km. - Eierbach, from left at the southern edge of [Pfullingen](/source/Pfullingen), 5.0 km and 12.3 km². - Arbach, from right between Pfullingen and [Reutlingen](/source/Reutlingen), 6.7 km and 22.1 km². - Kaibach, from left in Reutlingen-[Betzingen](/source/Betzingen), 4,3 km and 5,4 km². - Leyrenbach, from the right in Betzingen, 1,2 km. - [Breitenbach (Echaz)](/source/Breitenbach_(Echaz)), from left in Betzingen, 8.9 km and 16.8 km². - Ersbergbach, from the right at the Betzinger sewage plant, 0.8 km. - Fallenbach, from right before Wannweil, 0.7 km. - Firstbach, from left in [Wannweil](/source/Wannweil), 7.1 km and 6.8 km². - Klingwiesenbach, from right in Wannweil, 1.5 km and 1.0 km². - Heckbach, from left in Wannweil, 4.9 km and 13.2 km². - Schützenhausgraben, from the right in the north Wannweil, 0.7 km. - Waldrandbächle, from the right in the north Wannweil, 0.3 km. - Grenzgraben, from the right at the community border to [Kirchentellinsfurt](/source/Kirchentellinsfurt), 1.0 km. **Estuary** of the *Echaz* at the western edge of [Kirchentellinsfurt](/source/Kirchentellinsfurt). The water body is 23.8 km long from the *Ohafelsen* and has a catchment area of 135.6 km². ## Flood 2013 After prolonged rainfall at the end of May and beginning of June, the villages of the upper Echaz valley between [Lichtenstein](/source/Lichtenstein_(Wuerttemberg)) and [Reutlingen](/source/Reutlingen) were also affected by the Flood in Central Europe 2013. ## Use The power of the Echazwasser is still used today to generate electricity, partly with historical plants like the Baumannsche Mühle in Pfullingen with electricity for up to 40 households, partly even with modern, newly built plants like at the Reutlingen [ZOB](/source/Bus_station). (electricity for 30 households). In Pfullingen up to 34 water drives were in use in the 19th century, in Reutlingen 27. Very early on the Echaz [fish farming](/source/Fish_farming) was practised. For example, the first mention of Honau in a document in connection with [fishing](/source/Fishing) rights. Even today, Honau is widely known for its restaurants with [trout](/source/Trout) specialities. ## See also - [List of rivers of Baden-Württemberg](/source/List_of_rivers_of_Baden-W%C3%BCrttemberg) ## References 1. *A Gazetteer of the world, Volume 6*. [Royal Geographical Society](/source/Royal_Geographical_Society). 1856. p. 261. [OCLC 252228764](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/252228764) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Echaz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echaz) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echaz?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.