Ecker Dam
Encyclopedia
The Ecker Dam is a dam
near Bad Harzburg
in the Harz mountains of Germany
that went into service in 1942. It impounds primarily the waters of the river Ecker
.
The dam is operated by the Harzwasserwerke
. It is used for the supply of drinking water
, flood protection, raising water levels during times of low rainfall and electricity generation
through hydropower
. Its power generation capacity is 270 kW. The Ecker Dam has an average discharge of 16 million m³ per year.
The facility comprises a gravity dam made of concrete
. For the first time in Germany coarse-grained concrete (Rüttelgrobbeton) with an aggregate of up to 300 mm grain size was used. The reservoir
uses a section of the valley which, below a prominent trough end, was dug out in the shape of a basin by an ice age
glacier.
The reservoir provides drinking water to the cities of Brunswick
and Wolfsburg
.
At the time of the division of Germany the Inner German Border ran straight through the site; only about two-thirds of the dam being accessible from the west. The rest of the dam crest was separated from the west by a wall and barbed wire.
The Ecker Dam is part of the system of check points in the Harzer Wandernadel
walking trail network.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
near Bad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg is a town in central Germany, in the Goslar district of Lower Saxony. It lies on the northern edge of the Harz mountains and is a recognised saltwater spa and climatic health resort.- Location :...
in the Harz mountains of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
that went into service in 1942. It impounds primarily the waters of the river Ecker
Ecker
Ecker 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...
.
The dam is operated by 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...
. It is used for the supply of drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
, flood protection, raising water levels during times of low rainfall and electricity generation
Electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of generating electric energy from other forms of energy.The fundamental principles of electricity generation were discovered during the 1820s and early 1830s by the British scientist Michael Faraday...
through hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
. Its power generation capacity is 270 kW. The Ecker Dam has an average discharge of 16 million m³ per year.
The facility comprises a gravity dam made of concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
. For the first time in Germany coarse-grained concrete (Rüttelgrobbeton) with an aggregate of up to 300 mm grain size was used. The reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
uses a section of the valley which, below a prominent trough end, was dug out in the shape of a basin by an ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
glacier.
The reservoir provides drinking water to the cities of Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
and Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located on the River Aller northeast of Braunschweig , and is mainly notable as the headquarters of Volkswagen AG...
.
At the time of the division of Germany the Inner German Border ran straight through the site; only about two-thirds of the dam being accessible from the west. The rest of the dam crest was separated from the west by a wall and barbed wire.
The Ecker Dam is part of the system of check points in the Harzer Wandernadel
Harzer Wandernadel
The Harzer Wandernadel is a network of checkpoints for walkers in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It includes a system whereby the hiker can earn badges at different levels by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and recording them...
walking trail network.
External links
- Harzwasserwerke.de with a link to current dam data
- Tourist information on the Ecker Dam
- Historic photograph of the Ecker Dam in 1978