Regulating Dam Port, Seeland, Switzerland
Encyclopedia
During the first Jura water correction
, a temporary dam had been built across the Nidau-Büren channel
in order to maintain the water level in Lake Bienne. Of insufficient retaining capacity, another one in 1887 that also showed its limits, especially during a flood in 1910, quickly replaced it.
Soon, the cantons of Vaud
, Neuchâtel and Fribourg
required its replacement, but it was only modified in 1911 and 1915.
Finally, the building of the new regulating dam was started in Port
in 1936, and completed and commissioned in 1939. This dam ensures the level control of the three lakes of Neuchâtel
, Morat and Bienne, an area so called the "Seeland
”,as well as the outflow of the Aare river downstream toward Solothurn, Aargau and the junction with Emme
River down to the merging with the Rhine River. The three lakes act as a buffer zone
, absorbing waters of the Aare in the event of any upstream flooding as far as the lakes Thun and Brienz
and of course “Grand Marais
”.
Since the Second Jura water correction, the Murgenthal Status regulates the maximum and minimum levels of the three lakes, as well as the maximum outflow downstream. The system was completed with the Flumenthal dam
regulating the flow further downstream of the merging of river Emme
.
Jura water correction
The correction of the waters of the Swiss Jura consisted in a wide series of hydrological undertakings carried out in Switzerland in the region of the three lakes: Lake Morat connected to Lake Neuchâtel by the Broye canal, the latter connected to Lake of Bienne by the Thielle canal, an area so...
, a temporary dam had been built across the Nidau-Büren channel
Nidau-Büren channel
Nidau-Büren Channel is a long channel that drains the waters of the Aare River out of the Lake of Biel/Bienne toward Solothurn. It was dug as an important part of the first Jura water correction.- Regulating dam :...
in order to maintain the water level in Lake Bienne. Of insufficient retaining capacity, another one in 1887 that also showed its limits, especially during a flood in 1910, quickly replaced it.
Soon, the cantons of Vaud
Vaud
Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
, Neuchâtel and Fribourg
Fribourg
Fribourg is the capital of the Swiss canton of Fribourg and the district of Sarine. It is located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss plateau, and is an important economic, administrative and educational center on the cultural border between German and French Switzerland...
required its replacement, but it was only modified in 1911 and 1915.
Finally, the building of the new regulating dam was started in Port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
in 1936, and completed and commissioned in 1939. This dam ensures the level control of the three lakes of Neuchâtel
Lake Neuchâtel
Lake Neuchâtel is a lake in Romandy, Switzerland . The lake lies mainly in the canton of Neuchâtel, but is also shared by the cantons of Vaud, of Fribourg, and of Bern....
, Morat and Bienne, an area so called the "Seeland
Seeland (Switzerland)
Seeland is a region in Switzerland, at the foot of the first mountain range of the Jura Mountains containing the 3 lakes of Morat , Neuchâtel and Bienne . In previous aeras, it was the floodplain of the Aare and is thus swampy. After the huge hydrological works Jura water correction, the area...
”,as well as the outflow of the Aare river downstream toward Solothurn, Aargau and the junction with Emme
Emme
Emme may refer to:*Rivers in Switzerland:**Emme , flowing through Emmental, Canton of Berne**Kleine Emme, flowing through Entlebuch, Canton of Lucerne*Emme Emme Aronson, a plus-size model...
River down to the merging with the Rhine River. The three lakes act as a buffer zone
Buffer zone
A buffer zone is generally a zonal area that lies between two or more other areas , but depending on the type of buffer zone, the reason for it may be to segregate regions or to conjoin them....
, absorbing waters of the Aare in the event of any upstream flooding as far as the lakes Thun and Brienz
Lake Brienz
Lake Brienz is a lake just north of the Alps, in the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. The lake took its name from the village Brienz on its northern shore. Interlaken and the villages Matten and Unterseen lie to the south west of the lake. The shores are steep, and there is almost no shallow water...
and of course “Grand Marais
Grand Marais, Seeland
Grand Marais, Seeland is a region in Switzerland, at the foot of the first mountain range of the Jura Mountains contained by the three lakes of Morat , Neuchâtel and Bienne...
”.
Since the Second Jura water correction, the Murgenthal Status regulates the maximum and minimum levels of the three lakes, as well as the maximum outflow downstream. The system was completed with the Flumenthal dam
Flumenthal dam
The Flumenthal Dam is a regulating dam at Flumenthal, Switzerland, which was erected as the most important element of all the works of the Second Jura water correction. It was built to regulate the outflow of Seeland's three-lake hydrologic system as far downstream as Solothurn and the confluence...
regulating the flow further downstream of the merging of river Emme
Emme
Emme may refer to:*Rivers in Switzerland:**Emme , flowing through Emmental, Canton of Berne**Kleine Emme, flowing through Entlebuch, Canton of Lucerne*Emme Emme Aronson, a plus-size model...
.