Quelle des Mausbachs

Water Identification Number DE: 2824492

What we now know as the source of the Mausbach was originally the source of the Fleutherbach. In the past, four springs emerged at the edge of the so-called Großer Nassenberg, a forest area towards Süssendell. Their water collected in the Horster Weiher at today's path "Auf dem Horst".

From these springs, the Fleutherbach formed, flowing along the Vichter Straße to the low point of Schroiff. There, the brook flowed into a pond, which was additionally fed by other watercourses from Mausbach. From this pond, the "Mausbach" flowed through the valley of the same name into the Vichtbach.

From the mid-19th century, the clean spring water of the Fleutherbach – also known for generations as "Mausbach" – was used for the first Mausbach water supply. Between 1857 and 1862, a clay pipe line was laid from the upper reaches of the brook to the middle of Vichter Straße. The water was channeled into a well there, which was equipped with a pump that continuously supplied clean drinking water.

Today, a spring at the edge of the forest near the path to Süssendell is considered the official source of the Mausbach. The other original springs have dried up. In recent decades, the Mausbach spring has been delivering less and less water, and in hot summers, it nearly runs dry. Climate change, channelization, and surface sealing have left clear marks here.

The water flows, if available, initially into the sewage system and only emerges again at the last house on the Kurt-Schumacher-Straße. The brook bed runs along this street towards the southwest. After 1.2 km and a height difference of 31 m, the Mausbach flows into the Vichtbach north of Vicht (50° 44′ 56″ N, 6° 15′ 40″ O) at Nachtigällchen (Vicht-Breinigerberg). The slope is 26 ‰.

From the Vichtbach, the water flows over Inde, Rur, Maas and the Hollands Diep into the North Sea.

The official source of the Mausbach is now located at 50° 45′ 21″ N, 6° 16′ 27″ O at an elevation of 247 m above sea level.