Hatch bridge weir in Česká Lípa, Decommissioned hatch weir and footbridge over the Ploučnice in Česká Lípa, Czech Republic

Hatch Bridge Weir is a structure that serves as both a water control system and a pedestrian crossing over the Ploučnice River, with adjustable gates regulating flow. The construction joins flood management with daily foot traffic across the river.

Built after 1910 on the Ploučnice, the weir regulated water for the now-vanished Velký mlýn mill on a branch of the river. Its design by ČVUT professor Jan Záhorský was protected by Austrian patent 30570; he built six such bridges in the Czech lands. It served as a weir until 1984.

The name comes from the hatch gates hung on a fixed deck above the weir, a design protected by Austrian patent 30570. Today the structure serves pedestrians crossing the Ploučnice between the Kaufland shopping area and Děčínská street toward the U jezu bus stops.

The bridge section is accessible daily and connects the city center to residential neighborhoods. Be aware that water levels change seasonally, and the bridge surface can become slippery in wet conditions.

The weir has been out of service since 1984 and now serves only as a footbridge over the Ploučnice, linking the Kaufland shopping area to Děčínská street and the U jezu bus stops. Part of its mechanism stands nearby as a technical exhibit, but the explanatory plaque gives the wrong construction date.