Staustufe Zeltingen, Water barrage on the Moselle River in Zeltingen-Rachtig, Germany.
Staustufe Zeltingen is a locking system on the Moselle River with two main shipping locks and a smaller boat lock serving different types of vessels. The facility manages water levels to enable navigation through the river's changing terrain.
Built in 1964, this locking system was the first on the Moselle to feature two parallel main chambers working together. It significantly improved shipping capacity and shaped river infrastructure for decades.
The locks sit within the Moselle wine region, and ships moving through the waterway pass between steep vineyard slopes that shape the river landscape.
Visitors can watch the locks in operation from publicly accessible areas, particularly from the riverbanks and viewing platforms. The best time to see activity is during the shipping season when boats regularly pass through.
A connected hydroelectric plant harnesses the water level differences created by the locks to generate power, blending shipping infrastructure with renewable energy. This dual-use design is uncommon among European river lock systems.
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