The Schwarzach is an approximately 21.4 km long left and eastern tributary of the Main in the Lower Franconian districts of Schweinfurt and Kitzingen.
The Main tributary Schwarzach has already been named by the Germanic tribal associations. The ending -ach is derived from the Old High German -aha, which means flowing water or river. In essence, however, this designation has already been borrowed from Indo-European and can also be found in other bodies of water in the vicinity (Sommerach, Volkach). The prefix black-, on the other hand, indicates a dark coloring of the water. This coloring results from the soil admixtures on the banks of the Schwarzach.
The name passed to several places on the banks of the creek. In the 8th century, for example, the "Monasterium Suuarzaha" that was emerging on the lower reaches was named after the body of water, which was later given the name Münsterschwarzach. On the opposite side of the Main, people also settled who named their place of residence after the Schwarzach-Aue, Schwarzenau. In the course of the Middle Ages there was also a monastic settlement south of the abbey, also named after the creek, which was named Stadtschwarzach to distinguish it from the spiritual institution. The name of the river was also transferred to the name of the village at the source of Oberschwarzach. In the middle reaches there is also the village of Stadelschwarzach with historically grown, close ties to the monastery.
The highest source of the Schwarzach is that of the Sägbrunngraben on the Stollberg in the Steigerwald. As the Handthaler Bach, it flows through the village of Handthal to Oberschwarzach.
However, a karst spring on the south-eastern outskirts of Oberschwarzach is referred to as the Schwarzachquelle (♁49° 51′ 32″ N, 10° 24′ 56″ E, approx. 275 m above sea level). The watercourse that starts there joins the longer Handthaler Bach after only about 200 meters. The spring funnel of the Schwarzachquelle, which is overgrown with aquatic plants, is popularly known as the "Gespringsquelle" or "Gipsloch".
The average discharge from this spring is 5 l/s. The sulphate-rich spring water comes from the Gipskeuper.