Schema_Schaellbach

 

The underground Schällbächli

The Schällbächli disappears into a small shaft cave, the Schällbachponor. It flows through part of this cave, plunges into a siphon and reappears from a siphon in the Versturzquelle. Around 100 metres further into the cave, the stream disappears again into a siphon, reappears further down the valley via a tube spring and flows into the Ibach.
Unfortunately, the Röhrenquelle (Tubed Spring) can no longer be recognised as such today. The outlet is mostly invisible in the gravel slope directly into the Ibach.

The special thing about the Versturzquelle is that it serves as an overflow for the Röhrenquelle during floods.
In this case, the water level in the cave rises about 20 metres until the entire cave passage is under water. This then emerges from the entrance cave-in and discharges into the Ibach.

 

The cave is only accessible when the first two siphons have been pumped out, but some depressions remain full of water and require freediving or diving with adequate equipment.

 

hydroplan   VersturzqSi
VersturzqKolk
 

 

 

 

 

 

Versturzquelle during floods

hochwasser

 

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