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We will offer you a very interesting one-day bus trip to the “Bigge Dam” with a technical guided tour on water management in the Ruhr Basin, a boat tour and a visit to the famous Altena castle, where you can enjoy refreshments and the wonderful view of the River Basin.
Time schedule:
Departure at the Ruhr-University in Bochum at 8:30 p.m.
Arrival at Pumping station “Westhofen” at 9:00 p.m.
After half an our by bus we will arrive at the pumping station “Westhofen”. We will offer a guided tour through the pumping station. Afterwards coffee, tea and soft-drinks will be served.
Almost unmodified the pumping station “Westhofen” operates since 1922. |
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Departure at 10:00 p.m.
Arrival at “Bigge” Dam at 11.30 a.m.
After a journey taken by bus we will arrive at Lake “Bigge”. Here starts the boat trip with the “MS Westfalen” from Sondern to the Bigge-Dam. On board foods from a buffet and soft drinks will be served. After arriving on Bigge-Dam our next destination is a pavilion where a presentation about the hydroelectric power station (Biggekraftwerk) will be shown. |
“MS Westfalen” |
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During times of low natural flow, the Bigge reservoir is able to contribute about 40% of the entire supplemental water to the Ruhr River system. Though this is its main task, another one is flood protection. During periods of high flood risk, i.e. from November 1st to February 1st , a flood control storage of 32 million m3 is available, which can be refilled from February 1st to May 1st. Thus, the flood peak below the dam is substantially attenuated. |
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Technical Data Water Management
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Total storage capacity |
173.8 million m3 |
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Catchment area (including the Lister Reservoir) |
359.3 km2 |
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Surface area at maximum storage (including the Lister Reservoir) |
8.76 km 2 |
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Volume of dam |
1.9 million m3 |
Departure at 2:00 p.m.
Arrival at Altena Castle approx. 3.00 p.m.
Situated in a picturesque spot overlooking the old wired-drawing town of Altena on the Rive Lenne, Altena Castle is one of the most impressive mountain castles in Germany. Originally built as the ancestral seat for the Grafschaft or County Mark, Altena Castle is still the historical and cultural centre of Mark district of the Sauerland.
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Two legends date the castle back to 1000 or 1108. Since the 18th century the walls have served many as a source of building material. In 1835, first restoration plans failed due to lack of Prussian funds. The castle was rebuilt between 1907 an 1915, then used as a museum with a restaurant and a youth hostel.
In 2000 the “Museum der Grafschaft Mark” celebrated ist 125th jubilee in commemoration of the start of the collection in 1875. Opened in 2000 under the motto “Knights, Blacksmiths, Wayfarers”, the permanent exhibition now relates the history of the Mark district of the Sauerland and the world’s first youth hostel using a sensorial, visitor-orientated approach.
After a guided tour in smaller groups through the Altena Castle we will offer our guests finger-food and coffee or tea. |
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Departure at Altena castle 5.00 p.m.
Arrival in Bochum approx. at 6.00 p.m.
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