Winding through Leipzig, a story of water unfolds. This is the story of the Altlauf Hundewasser. Once a vibrant side arm of the Weisse Elster, the Hundewasser now exists as a mere shadow of its former self.
Let’s journey back in time. Imagine Leipzig’s landscape before human intervention. The Weisse Elster flowed freely. It created a complex network of branching streams. Among these was the Hundewasser.
The Hundewasser originated at the Hundewehr. This was a weir in the Wahren district of Leipzig. From there, it journeyed southward. It ran parallel to the Weisse Elster. The Hundewasser finally rejoined the Elster near Lützschena.
For many years, the Hundewasser defined boundaries. It marked the border between Burgau and the regions of Wahren, Stahmeln, and Lützschena. Its meandering path shaped the landscape.
The name Hundewasser is documented since 1780. Hundewehr is also documented for the weir. Locals sometimes called it Hinterwasser. This means “backwater.” This name described its position behind the Weisse Elster.
The Hundewasser stretched about 7 kilometers. Its average width was around 5 meters. Today, only 2,580 meters remain. The flow has dwindled to a fraction of its original volume.
The Elsteraue, the Elster’s floodplain, spans about 3 kilometers. This broad area fostered numerous side arms. Besides the Hundewasser, there were the Luppe and the Batschke. The Hundewasser even had its own small side arm. This was within the Lützschena palace gardens.
Before river regulations, the Hundewasser was more dynamic. Annual floods filled additional channels. These channels were usually disconnected from the flowing water.
Human intervention reshaped the Hundewasser. Before the 19th century, the Hundewehr regulated its flow. In 1913, water from the Hundewasser was used to fill the new Auensee lake. This caused heavy siltation.
By 1914, a shortcut was built for the Hundewasser. This ran through the Auensee. A 500-meter section of the old channel was filled.
The most significant change came with the construction of the Neue Luppe in the 1930s. The Hundewasser was cut off. It became an oxbow lake. Today, only seepage and rainwater feed its lower reaches. The upper course has been completely filled.
So, while the Altlauf Hundewasser may appear as just a small body of water today, remember its rich history. It shows a landscape shaped by nature and altered by human hands. It is a reminder of the ever-changing relationship between people and the environment.