The railway line from Dresden to Nuremberg runs next to the river in this close valley.

The river is displaced in an old sidearm in Dresden for flood protection reasons and therefore canalised.

The Weißeritz caused severe damage during the 2002 European floods in Dresden and Freital.

The river reached Dresden Central Station as well as the Zwinger and flooded some districts of the inner city.

Due to the river's high fall from 188 m to 106 m in Dresden some houses were completely destroyed in the torrential flood.