Karsdorf Fault

It forms the northern geological boundary of the Eastern Ore Mountains in the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge with the Elbe zone, where it is adjoined by the Döhlen Basin and the Kreischa Basin.

Near Karsdorf the fault line runs in a southeasterly direction where it is geomorphologically outlined by the following clearly visible features: South of the fracture line is an almost level wooded area with remnants of sandstone – the Dippoldiswald and Hirschbach Heaths – which are drained by the Oelsabach, Hirschbach and Lockwitzbach.

These woodland areas are part of the Cretaceous Elbe Sandstone and are regionally important for their water supply.

The oldest sections of these relicts belong to the earliest Cretaceous deposits (Niederschöna Formation) in the Dresden region.

They are separated from the main Elbe Valley chalk region by the Karsdorf Fault.