The Golmer Brook

If you take a few steps back from the bus stop you can see the sign post for “Bitschweil”.  This sign post points the way to a small bridge that spans the Golmer Brook – just a 9 minute walk away. 

The Golmer Brook drains part of the Golmer Mountain.  The difference in altitude between the source and the mouth of the brook is 740 meters.  It is 2.2 km. long with an incline of about 34%.  Partly loose moraine debris and bed-load in the catchment area, the Golmer Brook can turn into a dangerous torrent if there are heavy rains.  Years ago there were often devastating mud flows.  The worst hit was Latschau in the year 1879 when the brook caused Latschau to be covered in a three meter deep mud flow.  The brook divided with one arm going to Vandans and the other through Latschau with the debris flowing right in the centre of the village.  In 1933 the simple protection walls that were built were partly destroyed by a mud slide.  This is why they began building operations to protect the cultural landscape in 1935.  In 1957 the Vorarlberg Ill Power Plant Corporation started the torrent construction parallel to construction of the new Lake Luener power plant.  The constructions secured the head waters of the Golmer Brook and the brook has been peaceful ever since. 

From here it’s just a three minute walk to the estate of Loretz Ferdinand or “Muelli-Ferdi” as he’s known to the locals.