Summit section of the Ludwig-Danube-Main Canal

The crest is the highest section of the canal, it is 24 km long and extends from lock 32 at Sengenthal to lock 33 at Rübleinshof. The LMD Canal overcomes the Mediterranean-North Sea watershed in the area of the apex. Kelheim is 79m lower and Bamberg is 187m.

The Ludwig-Donau-Main Canal had to overcome 80 m with 32 locks from Kelheim up to the top. The lock 33 forms the end or beginning of the crown position.

The 34.15 m long and 4.67 m wide locks each overcome a height of 2.30 to 3.20 meters. One chamber filling required up to 500 m3 of water. To save water, many locks could be shortened to 26.2 m with an intermediate gate. This was enough for the 24 m long standard barges, while long timber transports often completely filled the lock chamber.

The so-called apex position is the highest stretch of the canal. It is located on the Ludwig-Donau-Main Canal 417 meters above sea level, is 24 kilometers long and crosses the European watershed between the North Sea and the Mediterranean. The water required in the apex position came from several distant tributaries, which were led into the canal through specially built guide ditches. The water level had to be constantly regulated. The crown position can be over-dusted by almost 60 centimeters, which means that a water reservoir of up to 225,000 m3 can accumulate. However, excessive water levels must be avoided. Special relief structures such as bottom drains and overflow weirs (overflows) in the embankments serve this purpose

ludwig-donau-main-kanal.de/poi/schleuse_33_in_ruebleinshof-27939

Much worth knowing on the information board about the waterways.