Gates of the Ems barriers [Das Emssperrwerk und seine Verschluesse]

A storm-surge barrier is erected in the river Ems four kilometers upstream the Dollart-bay by Lower Saxony, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. Additionally to the flood defence of the Ems-region there is a second purpose for piling up the river to transfer ships between the harbour of Papenburg and Emden with a draught up to 8.5 m. To dam up the Ems requires very little tolerances by construction of the piers, steel gates and concrete sills. Otherwise there is to much loss by thickling water through the gaps between these components. In the piers there shall be installed 6 pumps with an output in total of 100 m super(3)/s to fill up the reservoir-capacity in the Ems. The planning of the barrier started in march 1997. The storm-surge barrier will be in operation in autumn 2002.