Pumps, weirs, and locks

A pumping station a pump that can lift water from a low to a high level and pump water into and out of an area. pumping stations enable us pumping stations the water at the agreed level. We use four types pumping stations: the reservoir pumping station, the shell pumping station, the polder pumping station, and the sewage pumping station.

Catchwater pumping station

A drainage pumping station pumps excess water into a catchwater. A catchwater a system of lakes or canals in which we temporarily store water. We catchwater use catchwater to drain water. An example of a drainage pumping station is De Waterwolf in Lauwerszijl/Electra. In 1920, De Waterwolf began its important task in the Reitdiep: draining water from a large part of the province of Groningen and the northern part of Drenthe. De Waterwolf was unique for its time and is a beautiful piece of industrial heritage. Today, the pumping station is pumping station in operation. In fact, the pumping station indispensable for draining excess water into the Wadden Sea.

Peeling machine

A subsidence pumping station is a special drainage pumping station that we use in areas where the ground is subsiding. The ground in North Groningen is subsiding due to gas extraction. If the water level remains the same and the ground subsides, the water level will rise in relative terms. To subsidence the negative effects of subsidence , Noorderzijlvest lowers the water level. An example of a shell pumping station station is the pumping station , located in the Hoornsevaart between Mensingeweer and Wehe-den-Hoor. This pumping station in the second shell of the Electra reservoir.

Polder pumping station

A polder pumping station pumps excess water in the polder to a catchwater. We have approximately 140 polder pumping stations in our region. One example is the Leutingewolde polder pumping station. Here, we measure the water level of the Leekstermeer lake. The lake also collects excess water during wet periods. That is why the lake must be able to cope with higher water levels. We regulate this here with a polder pumping station.

Sewage pumping station

A sewage pumping station pumps used water from homes and businesses through the sewer system to the treatment plant. One example is the monumental Groningen sewage pumping station on Damsterdiep. It pumps all the used water from the city of Groningen through an eight-kilometer-long pipe to the sewage treatment plant in Garmerwolde. The immense pumps in the pumping station the pressure and push the water to the treatment plant, as it were.

Locks are built between two watercourses have different water levels. On one side of a lock, the water is higher or lower than on the other side. We can open a lock to allow water to flow through. There are eight types of locks:

Schutsluis

The lock the best-known type of sluice. The lock takes a boat from one water level to another. This is how it works:
A lock two doors. One door opens and the boat enters the lock. The door then closes.
We raise or lower the water in the lock chamber. This depends on the water level on the other side of the lock. Finally, the second door opens and the boat continues on its way.

Sluice gate

We tidal barrier the tidal barrier to keep water out. When the water level is normal, the lock is open. When the water level is very high or low, we close the tidal barrier. An example is the Oosterschelde barrier in Zeeland.

Drainage sluice

Drainage sluices can be found in quays, dykes dunes. We use these sluices to drain excess water from the land into a catchwater, canal, river, or sea. An example of this are the Cleverings sluices in Lauwersmeer.

Relief valve

We only open the relief sluice after a flood. When we open the sluice, water from a polder can flow into a canal, river, or sea.

Inlet sluice

We use the inlet sluice for two things. We open the sluice so that fresh water flows into, for example, city canals or agricultural areas.
We open the sluice when it is very dry. For example, if we open the sluice in the Gaarkeuken, water from the IJsselmeer flows into the ditches and canals of our region.

Spigot

Sluice gates are found in seaports. The sluice ensures that the channel between the sea and the port does not silt up with mud. Behind the sluice is a large bowl-shaped hole. At high tide, we allow water to flow into this bowl. When the water is at its highest, we close the sluice. At low tide, we open the sluice and the water flows out of the bowl back into the sea. The water carries the mud in the channel with it.

Floodgate

Inundation is a fancy word for 'flooding'. This lock allows us to flood a piece of land. In the past, the inundation lock was used by the army for defence. They ensured that the water was too low to sail on and too high to walk or drive through. Now we use the lock to allow water to flow into reservoirs. Or to flood agricultural land.

Dock lock

A dock lock can be found in harbors. This lock ensures that there is water in the harbor at low tide. This means that the boats are always in the water. Is it high tide and is the water level high? Then we close the lock. This keeps the water in the harbor when the tide goes out.

A weir a valve in a ditch or canal. Behind it, the water remains in place to keep the water at the agreed level. A weir be fixed or movable.

• A fixed weir always weir the same water level.
• With a movable weir , we weir use a valve to regulate different water levels. The water level is lower in winter: we open the valve to drain excess rainwater. This prevents flooding. The water level is higher in summer: we weir the weir to retain water for agriculture and nature during dry periods.