Otterndorf

Otterndorf Schoepfwerk is a water pumping station in Cuxhaven that lifts water from low-lying areas back to higher levels. It uses vertical shaft pumps designed to move water from zones that sit below average high tide elevation.

The facility was built in the late 1920s to regulate water flow in the flat coastal lowlands near the Elbe estuary. It became part of a larger drainage and water management system that was vital to keeping settlements on the North Sea coast inhabitable.

A bronze monument from 1996 stands at the site to honor the engineering skill needed for water management on the North Sea coast. It reflects how critical water control has been for communities living in this low-lying area.

Visit when you know the facility sits in extremely flat terrain, so expect an open landscape in all directions. Walking or cycling through the area helps you understand how the pumping system serves the surrounding land.

This station works alongside the Ihlienworth pumping station to jointly manage water in territories that dip up to two meters below sea level. The partnership between the two is essential because neither could handle the volume alone.