Sprotte

The Sprotte is a left tributary of the Pleiße in East Thuringia, Germany.

Sprotte
The Old Bridge over the Sprotte in Schmölln
Location
Location	Thuringia,  Germany
Reference no.	DE: 56664
Physical characteristics
Source
⁃ location	In four headstreams west of Crimmitschau, e.g. near Gera (parish in Leumnitz) as the Großensteiner Sprotte
⁃ coordinates	50°52′55″N 12°08′44″E
⁃ elevation	about 309 m (Großensteiner Sprotte)
Mouth
⁃ location	Near Saara into the Pleiße
⁃ coordinates	50°56′17″N 12°25′15″E
⁃ elevation	about 187 m
Length	30 km [1]
Basin size	165.7 km² [2]
Discharge
⁃ location	at Großstöbnitz gauge[3]
⁃ average	620 l/s
⁃ minimum	Record low: 68 l/s (in 1991) Average low: 233 l/s
⁃ maximum	Average high: 7.43 m³/s Record high: 16.6 m³/s (in 30.11.2002)
Basin features
Progression	Pleiße→ White Elster→ Saale→ Elbe→ North Sea
Landmarks	Large towns: Schmölln

The headwaters of the river come from three source streams, which begin west of Crimmitschau and are as follows:

• The Western Sprotte, whose source is near Rückersdorf
• The Middle Heukewalder Sprotte, which begins near Nischwitz
• The Eastern Mannichswalder Sprotte

The western branch flows northwest and meets with the Heukewalder Sprotte near Vollmershain. Between Posterstein and Nöbdenitz these flow into the Eastern Sprotte. Then the Sprotte flows northeast through the municipality of Nöbdenitz, then further through the city of Schmölln to Saara, where it meets the Pleiße.

The river is 25 km long (Mannichswalder Sprotte). The Sprotte river valley partly follows the rail line from Gera to Altenburg as well as the Bundesstraße 7.

From its source to its mouth, the Sprotte travels 120 meters downhill (from 315 to 195 m above sea level).