Listen closely. The Peezer Bach whispers secrets. It’s a story etched in water flowing for miles. This seemingly unassuming stream is more than meets the eye.
The Peezer Bach a roughly 18-kilometer-long waterway near Rostock boasts a significant 56 square kilometer catchment area. It gets its name from the nearby Rostock district of Peez. Its journey begins in the Steinfelder Holz forest. Fed by various forest drainage ditches it flows westward. The Peezer Bach passes through Poppendorf and the central Mühlenteich mill pond.
In Mönchhagen it crosses the Stralsund-Rostock railway line and the B 105 federal highway. The stream then splits into two branches. The northern branch flows parallel to the road. In Rostock the catchment area is a protected landscape. After roughly four kilometers the two branches reunite. They finally empty into the Breitling a part of the Unterwarnow.
The Peezer Bach’s morphology is fascinating. Sections are classified as a gravel-dominated lowland stream. Others are sandy lowland streams. The final kilometer shows characteristics of a backwater or brackish water-influenced Baltic Sea inflow.
Significant efforts have been made to restore the stream to a natural state. Weirs have been removed. This improves water flow for aquatic life. Between 2008 and 2011 the lower course underwent structural improvements. This involved removing bed slopes. The stream was given a development corridor.
The Peezer Bach functions as a second-order waterway. Its maintenance falls under the responsibility of the Warnow-Küste water and soil association. It provides outflow for the nearby municipalities and drainage systems. The Poppendorf fertilizer plant also drains into the stream.
Water distribution is regulated at the stream’s bifurcation. The northern arm receives priority. This ensures a minimum flow rate of 100 liters per second. This is managed by a fixed weir regulating the flow from the southern branch. A water intake for a local farm is situated in the southern branch. A weir at the bifurcation and a sill at the water intake help to maintain sufficient water flow. However the intended distribution isn’t always effective. The minimum flow rate in the northern arm is frequently undershot.
The Peezer Bach is vital. It serves as an important spawning ground for sea trout. Other fish species include the bleak three-spined stickleback round goby nine-spined stickleback and bleak. The macro zoobenthos species inventory is improving. This reflects ongoing restoration efforts. A good ecological status is anticipated around 2045.
However the Peezer Bach faces challenges. High levels of nitrate total nitrogen and total phosphorus along with high conductivity are significant concerns. The Poppendorf fertilizer plant is a major contributor. Diffuse inputs from agricultural land use also add to the pollution. The chemical status of the Peezer Bach is therefore not considered good. Exceeding environmental quality standards for mercury and pentabromodiphenyl ether has been observed. High levels of the herbicide MCPA have also been reported.
Despite these challenges significant progress has been made. The Peezer Bach’s story is one of resilience adaptation and ongoing efforts to maintain this vital part of Rostock’s ecosystem. This small stream holds a big story a story worth preserving.