ČGS South Bohemia
Pohořský Stream – History of Log Driving
The Pohořský Stream has its spring 2 km south of the small town of Pohoří na Šumavě at an altitude of 959 m ASL and after 23 km it empties into the Černá River on the left, at an altitude of 599 m ASL. The average stream gradient is nearly 2 degrees. The stream was used for firewood floating as well as the timber rafting which was considered a European rarity given such a small watercourse. The first plans for modifying the local streams for the log driving needs were drawn-up for František Leopold Buquoy. The log driving started in 1777 and 6 years later the first rafts were put out to the Pohořský Stream and the Černá River during the era of the Count Jan Nepomuk Buquoy. Seven artificial water reservoirs were gradually created on both watercourses, the stream edges were strengthened, the weirs and the structures for retaining and directing the timber being flood were set up and new industrial undertakings were erected along the streams. The regulated watercourses facilitated the flour-mill and iron-mill operation and the firewood was driven up to České Budějovice and Prague. A number of colonies were founded as a result of log driving.
Contact
Česká geografická společnost
Mgr. Petra Karvánková, Ph.D.
Katedra geografie PF JU v Českých Budějovicích, Jeronýmova 10, 371 15 České Budějovice
Tel.:+420 387 773 063
e-mail:karvikus@seznam.cz
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