Zemmbach

The Zemmbach is a mountain stream in the Austrian Alps. It rises high in the Zillertaler Alps, fed by meltwater from several glaciers. The stream flows west, then north, carving the Zemmtal valley before joining the Ziller at Mayrhofen. The Zemmbach carries water from glaciers such as the Schwarzensteinkees and Waxeggkees. Near the Alpenrosenhütte it is diverted through a tunnel to the Schlegeisspeicher reservoir. Below the Schönbichler Horn the stream regains volume and turns north into the lower Zemmgrund, a wooded pastureland with farms like Schwemmalm and Klausenalm. The Zemmbach forms the boundary between the villages of Finkenberg and Mayrhofen. It passes hunting lodges at Breitlahner and receives tributaries from the Tuxertal and Gründe valleys. Trout including brown, rainbow and brook species live in its clear waters.