Journey with me to discover the tale of the Flehbach. This unassuming stream holds secrets. The Flehbach’s story is not just about water flowing. It is about history. It’s about nature. It’s about Cologne itself.
The Flehbach begins its journey in Bergisch Gladbach. It flows through Cologne’s districts. These districts include Brück and Merheim. The Flehbach is a haven for wildlife. Bachforellen and Edelkrebse thrive here. The Edelkrebs, also called the European river crab, is quite special. It is the largest native crab species. It is rare in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Near Merheim, the Flehbach meets the Bruchbach. From that confluence, it becomes the Faulbach. “Faulbach” means “lazy stream”. This name came about because its gentle slope could not power mills. Unlike the Strunde. Past Cologne-Buchheim, near Stegwiese, the Faulbach disappears. It flows underground in pipes until it joins the Rhine.
The Flehbach’s total length is nearly 17 kilometers. It descends 112 meters from its source to the Rhine. Its drainage basin covers almost 77 square kilometers. The Flehbach and Faulbach showcase a variety of environments. These range from natural streams in Königsforst. They change to completely piped sections running into the city sewers.
The area around the Flehbach tells a story of the last ice age. You can see it in the landscape’s stepped terraces. The Rhine’s floodplains connect directly to the streams. These floodplains are important for flood control. They serve key ecological functions. Terraces border the floodplain.
Historically, people changed the Flehbach’s course. Parts were built over. Other parts were piped underground. The Flehbach used to power watermills. The street name Flehbachmühlenweg in Lustheide marks the Flehbachmühle’s location. Only the mill pond remains of the Erkermühle behind the Flehbach dam.
Originally, the Flehbach flowed toward Düsseldorf Street in Mülheim. It went as far as Wiesdorf. Because of flooding, they redirected it. In the early 19th century, they channeled it directly into the Rhine.
After rainfall, the Flehbach takes on large volumes of water. In the past, it flooded Cologne-Rath. This town lies on an old Rhine channel. The Flehbach dam in Königsforst manages the water flow. Overflow basins further control it downstream. The Flehbach can dry up completely in summer. This occurs after rainless days.
Today, a learning path called the Flehbach LEAP invites exploration. Discover water, plants, soils, forest animals, and even clouds. Apps and explanations guide you. They reveal the natural world around the Flehbach. So, next time you think of Cologne, remember the Flehbach. It is a small stream with a large story.