Schaalsee Canal

The Schaalseekanal is an artificial watercourse in Schleswig-Holstein that connects the area of the Schaalsee with that of the Ratzeburg lake. It serves as a power station duct for the Farchau hydropower station.At the beginning of the 20th century, the Schaalsee region was also considering using hydropower to generate electricity, thereby enabling industrialization. In 1909, the first planning of a hydropower plant that should use the waters of the Schaalsee area began. However, the costs were far too high and only with the defeat of the German Reich in World War I did the matter become economical. In the spring of 1923, the construction of the Schaalsee Canal was decided by the district council. Construction began in the winter of the same year and was completed in 1925. This artificially changed the watershed between the North and Baltic Seas. The Schaalsee now also drains into the Baltic Sea via the Ratzeburg Lake, the Wakenitz and Trave.The actual Schaalsee Canal is about 6 km long and runs below the ground level for the first 3 km after it emerges from the Salemer See and then for a further 3 km as a heaped dam. The canal ends at the Farchauer Mühle at the southern end of the Küchensee near Ratzeburg. The difference in altitude reached is 30 m. It has been supplying the Farchau hydropower plant since December 1925.seeblick-lassahn.de/der-schaalsee/schaalsee-unterseite2