Jez Hučák, Combined weir and bridge in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
Jez Hučák is a weir and bridge made of reinforced concrete that spans 65 meters across the Elbe River and is 6.20 meters wide. Three vertical turbines sit inside the structure to generate electricity while also controlling water levels.
It was built between 1908 and 1911 and replaced an older waterworks from the fortress period. Construction by Prague companies Kress and Bernard brought new technology to replace what had come before.
The weir's name comes from the 19th-century label "Hučavý" (noisy), after the sound of water pouring over the old fixed sill. The small hydroelectric plant on the left bank, fitted with three three-stage Francis turbines, still stands beside the weir and is managed by Povodí Labe.
A busy pedestrian route crosses the weir on the footbridge toward Jiráskovy sady, so expect foot traffic rather than a quiet viewpoint. The weir sits at river kilometre 158.4 in the city centre, and the small hydroelectric plant stands on the left bank beside it. The weir, bridge and plant are managed by Povodí Labe.
The installation uses a complex system with double-suspended chains that rotate eccentrically to move the closure segments. This control mechanism allows very precise adjustment of the water level.
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