RWE Transforms Former Mine into Germany's Deepest Lake
Energy giant RWE is transforming the former Hambach open-cast mine into the deepest lake in Germany. Despite the project, Lake Constance will retain its title as the largest and most water-rich lake in the country.
RWE plans to fill the future lake via three pipes, each stretching 45 kilometers and large enough for an adult to cycle through. These pipes will supply a staggering 18,000 liters of water per second, sourced from the Rhine. The project aims to reach one third of the target height by 2033, with a water surface of 1200 hectares and the deepest point at 200 meters by 2040. Upon completion around 2080, the lake will cover an area of 42 square kilometers and be 365 meters deep, over 100 meters deeper than Lake Constance.
Critics, including the environmental organization BUND, argue that the project destroys an existing recreational area, the Hambach Forest, which was cleared for brown coal mining. The BUND also criticizes RWE's plan to use Rhine water as a source, citing concerns about chemical and medicinal residues.
RWE's ambitious project management to create the deepest lake in Germany is set to begin in 2030, with a target completion date of around 2080. Despite the controversy surrounding the use of Rhine water and the destruction of the Hambach Forest, Lake Constance will remain the largest and most water-rich lake in Germany.
Read also:
- Planned construction of enclosures within Görlitzer Park faces delays
- Controversy resurfaces following the elimination of diesel filter systems at Neckartor: A renewed conflict over the diesel restriction policy
- Renewable energy sources take over nuclear power and decrease overall emissions concurrently
- District Heat System Explanation
