Dyke Ditch
Encyclopedia
The Dyke Ditch is the longest artificial ditch
in the Upper Harz
in central Germany
. Its purpose was to collect surface runoff
for the operation of the Upper Harz mining industry from precipitation-heavy regions a long way away (particularly from the Bruchberg
and parts of the Brocken massif). It was laid in 1732 and continually extended eastwards until 1827. Its original length was about 25 km; this was successively shortened by water tunnels
between 1820 and 1861 to around 19 km. It is a central component of the Upper Harz Water Regale
. Its takes its name from the Sperberhai Dyke
which is, in fact, an embankment on top of which the Dyke Ditch runs in an aqueduct
in order to cross a depression.
and the western Brocken to be made available for the Upper Harz mines. Yet another extension would have been possible but was no longer discussed. Now, attempts were made to fundamentally solve the energy problem in the Upper Harz mines by building deeper drainage adits (such as the Ernst August Adit). In addition from the second half of the 19th century other forms of energy (steam engines) were brought into operation, initially alongside water power.
In the middle of the 19th century work was carried out to optimise water flow in area of the 10 km long section between Sperberhai Dyke and Clausthal. By cutting tunnels, several ditch detours around mountains were able to be shortened considerably. In addition to clear advantages in the maintenance overhead and winter operations, the increase in incline (the same drop being covered in a shorter distance) played an important role in increasing the hydraulic capacity. The water tunnels, built around 1850, were the Rothenberg, Coventhai, Dietrichsberg and Bielenwiese Tunnels.
During its middle years the Dyke Ditch could carry up to 13 million cubic metres of water per year over the Sperberhai Dyke to the Clausthal Plateau. That made it one of the most important lifelines in the Upper Harz mining region.
Following the closure of the mines the Dyke Ditch supplied water up to about 1978 for the generation of electricity in Kaiser Wilhelm Shaft. Since 1978 the water of the Dyke Ditch has been led to the Mönch valley of the Oker Reservoir
at the end of the Dyke Ditch, where it still drives turbines for the generation of electricity and is then made available for the drinking water supplies of the Harzwasserwerke
.
Until about 2000, the Dyke Ditch also provided drinking water to the mining town of Altenau
. This has since been withdrawn because the natural water supply was very unreliable, especially in winter and the quality of the water could also change very quickly.
The operator of the Dyke Ditch today is the Harzwasserwerke
.
The Dyke Ditch system crosses several watersheds as a result.
reaches a maximum of about 1 m³/s.
to Thale
, the Harzer Hexenstieg
("Harz Witches' Climb"), runs along the Dam Ditch.
Upper Harz Ditches
The Upper Harz Ditches are hillside ditches, running roughly parallel to the contours, that were laid out in the Upper Harz in Germany from the 16th to the 19th centuries to supply water power to the silver mines there...
in the Upper Harz
Upper Harz
The Upper Harz refers to the western and higher part of the Harz mountain range in central Germany. Much of the Upper Harz is over , but at its eastern edge in the High Harz it climbs to over on the Brocken massif.- Geography :...
in central Germany
Central Germany (geography)
In geography, central Germany describes the areas surrounding the central point of modern-day Germany.The town of Niederdorla, in the state of Thuringia, claims to be the most central town in Germany...
. Its purpose was to collect surface runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
for the operation of the Upper Harz mining industry from precipitation-heavy regions a long way away (particularly from the Bruchberg
Bruchberg
At the Bruchberg in the Upper Harz is the second highest mountain in Lower Saxony and the third highest in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It lies between Altenau and Torfhaus in the middle of the Harz National Park. The Bruchberg is more like a plateau and has no real summit...
and parts of the Brocken massif). It was laid in 1732 and continually extended eastwards until 1827. Its original length was about 25 km; this was successively shortened by water tunnels
Upper Harz Water Tunnels
The Upper Harz Water Tunnels are part of the Upper Harz Water Regale - a network of reservoirs, ditches, tunnels and other structures in the Harz mountains of central Germany. The German term Wasserlauf refers to the underground element of the network of watercourses used in the historic silver...
between 1820 and 1861 to around 19 km. It is a central component of the Upper Harz Water Regale
Upper Harz Water Regale
The Upper Harz Water Regale is a system of dams, reservoirs, ditches and other structures, much of which was built from the 16th to 19th centuries to divert and store the water that drove the water wheels of the mines in the Upper Harz region of Germany...
. Its takes its name from the Sperberhai Dyke
Sperberhai Dyke
The Sperberhai Dyke is in fact an aqueduct which forms part of the Upper Harz Water Regale network of reservoirs, ditches, dams and tunnels in the Harz mountains of central Germany...
which is, in fact, an embankment on top of which the Dyke Ditch runs in an aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
in order to cross a depression.
History
The history of the Dyke Ditch was initially closely related to the history of the Sperberhai Dyke. Not until the completion of the dyke in 1734 could large watercourses east of Clausthal be tapped into: the streams of the Großer and Kleiner Gerlachsbach. In the years that followed, the Dyke Ditch was continually extended eastwards. In 1736 it was extended as far as the Kleiner Oker. In 1742, a neighbouring ditch, the Morgenbrodtstal Ditch, was built to carry water from the Große and Kleine Söse rivers to the Dyke Ditch. In 1774, it was lengthened as far as the so-called Wiege ("scales") on the Dyke Ditch and in 1820, after the two Kellwasser tunnels had been driven and the Blochschleife Ditch laid, the Kellwasser and the Blochschleife were connected to the Dyke Ditch system. The last addition was made in 1827, when the Clausthal Flood Ditch, the Flörichshai Ditch and Abbe Ditch enabled water from east of the BruchbergBruchberg
At the Bruchberg in the Upper Harz is the second highest mountain in Lower Saxony and the third highest in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It lies between Altenau and Torfhaus in the middle of the Harz National Park. The Bruchberg is more like a plateau and has no real summit...
and the western Brocken to be made available for the Upper Harz mines. Yet another extension would have been possible but was no longer discussed. Now, attempts were made to fundamentally solve the energy problem in the Upper Harz mines by building deeper drainage adits (such as the Ernst August Adit). In addition from the second half of the 19th century other forms of energy (steam engines) were brought into operation, initially alongside water power.
In the middle of the 19th century work was carried out to optimise water flow in area of the 10 km long section between Sperberhai Dyke and Clausthal. By cutting tunnels, several ditch detours around mountains were able to be shortened considerably. In addition to clear advantages in the maintenance overhead and winter operations, the increase in incline (the same drop being covered in a shorter distance) played an important role in increasing the hydraulic capacity. The water tunnels, built around 1850, were the Rothenberg, Coventhai, Dietrichsberg and Bielenwiese Tunnels.
During its middle years the Dyke Ditch could carry up to 13 million cubic metres of water per year over the Sperberhai Dyke to the Clausthal Plateau. That made it one of the most important lifelines in the Upper Harz mining region.
Following the closure of the mines the Dyke Ditch supplied water up to about 1978 for the generation of electricity in Kaiser Wilhelm Shaft. Since 1978 the water of the Dyke Ditch has been led to the Mönch valley of the Oker Reservoir
Oker Dam
The Oker Dam is a dam in the Harz mountains in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is fed by the River Oker.- Technology :The dam is in the shape of an arch . It is 75 m high, 260 m long, can impound up to 47 million m³ of water and provides hydropower, flood protection and water...
at the end of the Dyke Ditch, where it still drives turbines for the generation of electricity and is then made available for the drinking water supplies of the Harzwasserwerke
Harzwasserwerke
The Harzwasserwerke is a German water company and dam operator with the primary tasks of supplying drinking water, generating electrical power, flood protection and the maintenance of the Upper Harz Water Regale...
.
Until about 2000, the Dyke Ditch also provided drinking water to the mining town of Altenau
Altenau
Altenau may refer to:places in Germany:* Altenau, Lower Saxony, a town in Lower Saxony* A part of Mühlberg in Brandenburg* A part of Saulgrub, Bavariarivers in Germany:* Altenau , a tributary of the Oker in eastern Lower Saxony...
. This has since been withdrawn because the natural water supply was very unreliable, especially in winter and the quality of the water could also change very quickly.
The operator of the Dyke Ditch today is the Harzwasserwerke
Harzwasserwerke
The Harzwasserwerke is a German water company and dam operator with the primary tasks of supplying drinking water, generating electrical power, flood protection and the maintenance of the Upper Harz Water Regale...
.
Catchment area
The Dyke Ditch draws its water from the region of six Harz rivers:- SöseSöseThe Söse is a right tributary of the river Rhume, 38 kilometres long, in Lower Saxony, Germany.- Geography :The river rises on the plateau of Auf dem Acker in the district of Osterode in the southwestern part of the Harz Mountains in Germany...
over the Morgenbrodstal Ditch (1715–1718; length 3,970 m) - SieberSieber (river)The Sieber is a 35 km long, right hand tributary of the Oder in the Harz mountains of Germany.It rises at 760 m on the Bruchberg massif and flows through Herzberg before discharging at Hattorf into the Oder which, in turn, flows into the Rhume...
over the Clausthal Flood Ditch (also called the Rotenbeeke Ditch) (1797; length 3,900 m) - OderOder (Harz)The Oder is a 56 km long river in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Rhume. Its source is in the Harz mountains, near Sankt Andreasberg. It flows southwest through Bad Lauterberg, Pöhlde and Hattorf am Harz...
over the Clausthal Flood Ditch and the Flörichshai Ditch (1826; length 1,050 m) - EckerEckerEcker is a river in Germany. It may also refer to:Entertainment*Meng and Ecker As a name:*Danny Ecker*Janet Ecker*Guy Ecker*Haylie Ecker*William Ecker*Tyler Ecker*Enrique Ecker*Alexander Ecker*Johnny Ecker...
over the Abbe Ditch (1827; length 1,540 m) - Radau over the Abbe Ditch
- OkerOkerThe Oker is a river in Lower Saxony, Germany, that has historically formed an important political boundary. It is a left tributary of the River Aller, in length and runs in a generally northerly direction.- Course :...
over the Dam Ditch (1725–1840; length 14,690 m)
The Dyke Ditch system crosses several watersheds as a result.
Statistics
The Dyke Ditch today is 19 km long. 15.4 km of that are open ditches and 3.6 km are underground water tunnels. Depending on how they are counted, its associated ditch system has an overall length of 49 km. On most routes the water descends by around 60 m. Its flow rateVolumetric flow rate
The volumetric flow rate in fluid dynamics and hydrometry, is the volume of fluid which passes through a given surface per unit time...
reaches a maximum of about 1 m³/s.
Footpath
A footpath from OsterodeOsterode am Harz
For the town in East Prussia formerly called Osterode, see Ostróda.Osterode am Harz often simply called Osterode, is a town in south-eastern Niedersachsen on the south-western edge of the Harz mountains. It is the seat of government of the district of Osterode. The town is twinned with Scarborough,...
to Thale
Thale
Thale is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany.-Geography:It is situated on the river Bode, approximately 8 km west of Quedlinburg. It is the terminus of the Magdeburg–Thale railway.- History :...
, the Harzer Hexenstieg
Harzer Hexenstieg
The Harzer Hexenstieg is a footpath, just under 100 km long, in Germany that runs from Osterode through the Harz mountains and over its highest peak, the Brocken, to Thale...
("Harz Witches' Climb"), runs along the Dam Ditch.