![](/images/cat_icons/pn_slip.gif) Stemmtorschleuse - Spreewald
N 51° 51.851 E 013° 59.814
33U E 430929 N 5746407
One of the 137 self-operated locks regulating the water level in Spreewald
Waymark Code: WM3BTY
Location: Brandenburg, Germany
Date Posted: 03/10/2008
Views: 32
In an area where even the fire brigade (left) and the postal service (right) come by boat, a steady, navigable water level is essential. In the wetlands of the Spreewald delta, a clever, more than 100 years old system of locks and dams takes care of that.
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![](http://img.groundspeak.com/waymarking/f6b4b4ae-0a0b-4db7-8e68-ce7784ac27af.jpg) |
Ten thousand years ago, at the end of the last ice age, retracting glaciers carved hundreds of ditches and rifts into a formaly plane landscape.
These ditches were later filled with water from the Spree river, forming 187 square miles (or 120,000 acres) of wetland in a delta system made of tiny channels that often look manmade but really are a freak of nature.
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During our kayaking trip in Spreewald, we encountered one of these locks:
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Julia, figuring out how it works |
Opening the gate
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Closing the gate |
Our kayak in the lock
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Unfortunately, we left our camera ashore and only took one of those waterproof one-way cameras with us, resulting in 24 totally underexposed pictures. So, the pictures above are the best evidence we have to offer.
Fortunately, we found a really good website about these kind of locks (unfortunately only in German language). So, here are a couple of better pictures, taken from this site:
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Arriving at the lock |
Red dots mark the handles |
Entering the lock |
Closing the gate |
Waiting for even water level |
Leaving the lock
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Waterway Name: Spree
![](/images/spacer.gif) Connected Points: A system of locks and dams keeps a constand, navigable water level in the Spreewald delta
![](/images/spacer.gif) Type: Lock
![](/images/spacer.gif) Date Opened: 01/01/1900
![](/images/spacer.gif) Elevation Difference (meters): 1.00
![](/images/spacer.gif) Site Status: Operational
![](/images/spacer.gif) Web Site: [Web Link]
![](/images/spacer.gif) Date Closed (if applicable): Not listed
![](/images/spacer.gif)
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Visit Instructions: Logs marked as “visits” should be made after physically visiting the waymark location. Include a picture taken during the visit. Notes may be logged by individuals who have visited the web site or looked at the online information and would like to provide comments or feedback on the waymark.
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