Kettwiger See, reservoir
Kettwiger See is a reservoir south of the Kettwig district in Essen and forms part of a series of water storage facilities along the Ruhr River. The water is held back by a weir with two large gates that also powers turbines for electricity generation.
The reservoir was built between 1940 and 1950 by the Ruhr authority to secure water supply and control river flow. The weir itself was the second in Germany to use hydraulic drive technology, which later allowed for improved water management for shipping and power generation.
The reservoir takes its name from the neighboring district of Kettwig and serves as a gathering place where locals and visitors spend leisure time by the water. You can observe families walking along the shore, people resting on the banks, and boats moving across the surface on most days.
The reservoir is easily accessible by train with a station on the southern edge of the water. The flat shores allow easy access to the water, and there are paths around the entire perimeter for walking or cycling, particularly on the north side where most boat docks are located.
An aeration system was added in the mid-1990s and later expanded to pump oxygen into the water and improve water quality. This system with two turbines helps keep fish and other aquatic animals healthy in the reservoir.
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