REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT NEW WALLENSTEIN WATERWAY

Transcription

1 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT NEW WALLENSTEIN WATERWAY Abstract: Axel Höhn*, Sören Kohlhase*, ** and Frank Weichbrodt*, ** *Project Wallenstein-Waterway Society, Schwerin **University of Rostock, Rostock Old plans to build a shipping route between the town of Wismar and Schwerin, Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany were reconsidered repeatedly during the past centuries. However, due to various reasons the engineering works necessary for the passage of ships could not be finalized despite of serious attempts. During the past years the Project Wallenstein-Waterway Society was founded to push the old ideas within a Regional Development Project. Whereas previous plans followed the idea of constructing a navigation canal only, i.e. to enable the transport of goods between the Baltic Sea and the hinterland, recent plans are focusing mainly on tourism. Tourism is extremely important in our country. The project includes various aspects of future development but is, however, controversially discussed. Major components of our plans are illustrated in the paper and will be discussed during the seminar. I. INTRODUCTION AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The importance of a waterway between the towns of Wismar and Schwerin and the demand for a navigable connection between the Baltic Sea and the River Elbe respectively was identified almost 600 years ago. In former times the demand was linked mainly to the transport of salt from the town Lüneburg to Wismar which was a rich and prosperous town in the middle age. After construction of a shipping line from Lübeck to the River Elbe Wismar as one of the major commercial towns at that time lost much of its importance and development receded for the benefit of Lübeck. Old plans, especially from the Wallenstein period, who visited the dilapidated construction works of the previous canal in 1628 he was the duke of the duchy of Mecklenburg at that time were seriously reconsidered in former and recent times. There are very interesting and detailed plans available to clear the altitudinal difference of some 38 m between the Lake of Schwerin and the Baltic Sea both using locks and a ship lift. A section of one the of old plans is exemplarily shown in Fig. 1 (see also Fig. 4). The length of the proposed canal is approximately 15 km. The location route follows that of the Wallensteingraben which still exist and ends in the harbour area of Wismar. The expression -graben means ditch. This underlines that it has been originally dug artificially. Today, the Wallensteingraben looks like a natural river. The area of the Wallensteingraben is a natural biotop and has a strong attraction today within a beautiful almost unspoiled environment, see Fig. 2 a and Fig 2 b. This must be considered for the discussion of the future development, especially regarding alternatives for the location. There are also restrictions with respect to water supply and possible pollution of a future waterway. Various difficulties result from traffic lines (railway and highway, roads and bridges) and other structural barriers having been erected during the past decades. However, it should be mentioned that the original plans were considered even during the GDR-period which ended in 1989 after reunification of the two German states. II. IDEAS AND MODELS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND RECENT INVESTIGATIONS The Project Wallenstein-Waterway Society was founded in 2004 by private persons of different profession to reconsider again the ancient project which in our opinion should be one of the key projects for development of tourism in the country (comp. Fig. 3). Talking about a canal most of the people are thinking about large ships transporting goods having in mind previous plans. This creates a lot of aversion. Even the word canal has a negative touch in Germany, today. But one of the major reservations are the costs for the structures and the economy of the project respectively. 593

2 Figure 1. Historical map and section after Huebbe 1899 [3] We think, our group of fans has contributed to demonstrate that the project is not an engineering project of inland navigation in its real sense any more, i.e. aiming at the transport of goods, the New Wallenstein-Waterway is now considered as a touristic development axis between the two towns. Besides various regional aspects linked to tourism, such as sports or leisure amenities and activities, hotel industry and catering trade, also arts e.g. in the already existing historically rich area and a naturally interesting environment are considered as pros to realize revised old plans. It is expected that the New Wallenstein Waterway will have far reaching effects not only for waterways in Germany already existing but for the hole region of the Baltic Sea and the large cities in Germany like Hamburg and Berlin (Fig. 3). The main objectives of the project may be summarised as follows: Closure of existing gaps in the net of inland waterways in Germany to allow an unhindered transition of pleasure boats and excursion boats Creation of new touristic infrastructure with lasting importance for the whole region of northern Germany and Scandinavia Economical strengthening of the region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern by means of connecting the two towns Wismar and Schwerin Long-lasting input on the development of settlement and environment within an overall touristic concept of the region, where nature, history, arts and architecture of the region are included in an integrative manner to be combined with sports and leisure activities Although originally based on historical plans our visions are far-reaching. Studies have been performed in different directions respectively (see references). One of the most important result was that the project is possible also from the economic point of view, since cost-benefit analysis has shown promising results. Our actual version of the project is schematically illustrated in Fig. 4, where the New Wallenstein- Waterway is compared with the old Wallensteingraben. It was and is our intention not to touch the natural environment and preserve the existing landscape in a best possible manner. Following the existing morphology we obtain a lake like natural channel which offers a variety for future development. Our preferred plans which have to be tuned in detail to the requirements of execution, technical layout and costs are based on investigations listed under References. For the transition near the existing highway south of Wismar we are thinking about a ship lift. Generally, a lock solution being preferred by a consortium of consultants as a result of an actual study could be an option to overcome the comparatively sharp difference of altitudes. However, a ship lift is preferred by us basically because of water requirements (hydrology or the water resources/availability). 594

3 Figure 2 a: Wallensteingraben, Wikipedia Figure 2 b: Wallensteingraben, [9] Figure 3: Region Wallenstein Waterway and connected regions 595

4 Fig. 4: Old Map of Region Wallenstein-Waterway, 1897 [8] Some dominant areas of future development are schematically included in Fig. 5. There are worldwide examples of reactivated ancient waterways, having been executed during the last years and supporting our ideas. Some of these examples we will show during the seminar. Regarding the topic Arts and Landscape there is Fig. 5: Wallenstein ditch (grey) and new Wallenstein Waterway (blue) also a very exciting example which we have seen on the occasion of JOINT 06 near Tainan in Taiwan. The Juming Museum experience (Fig. 6 a to 6 d) may help us to convince the decision making politicians and help us to overcome aversions against the project. 596

5 Fig. 6 a: Arts and Landscape Juming Museum, near Tainan Fig. 6 c: Arts and Landscape Juming Museum, near Tainan Fig. 6 b: Arts and Landscape Juming Museum, near Tainan REFERENCES [1] A. Höhn, Projekt Wallenstein-Wasserweg Ein Vorhaben aus der Geschichte Mecklenburgs wird Grundlage für ein Entwicklungsprojekt der Zukunft, Klönschnack Mitteilungen für Freunde der Traditions-schifffahrt, Deutsche Traditions Motorboot Vereinigung e.v. für Freunde der Traditionsschifffahrt, 2006 [2] Landeshauptstadt Schwerin BUGA Planungsgruppe, Wallensteingraben Schwerin Wismar, brochure to the history of the Wallensteingraben, Schwerin, 2000 [3] F. Stuhr, Der Elbe -Ostsee Kanal zwischen Dömitz und Wismar, Jahrbücher des Vereins für mecklenburgische Geschichte und Altertumskunde, editor: H. Grotefend, Schwerin, 1899 [4] Mensch, Ausbau eines Schifffahrtskanals vom Schweriner See bis zum Hafen bei Wismar, Großherzoglich Mecklenburgisch- Schwerinsches Rescript vom 07. November 1895, Rostock, 1895 [5] IMS-Ingenieurgesellschaft, Projektstudie Wallensteinwasserweg, feasibility study and costs benefit analysis, Hamburg, 2007 [6] IBL Umweltplanung, Naturschutzfachliche Machbarkeitsstudie zum Vorhaben Wallenstein-wasserweg, feasibility study from a nature conservation point of view, 2007 Fig. 6 d: Arts and Landscape Juming Museum, near Tainan [7] Regionaler Planungsverband Westmecklenburg, Regionales Wassertourismuskonzept Schweriner Seengebiet, Schwerin, 2005 [8] H. J. Uhlemann, Die Viechelnsche Fahrt, editor: M. Eckoldt, Flüsse und Kanäle Die Geschichte der deutschen Wasserstraßen, DSV-Verlag, 1998 [9] R.J. Kacan, Umweltverträglichkeitsuntersuchungen der Umsetzung des Konzepts "Ökologisches Band" bei der Realisierung des Wallenstein-Wasser-Weges am Beispiel ausgewählter Teilabschnitte, Diploma thesis at the University of Rostock, 2006 [10] C. Kautzki, Machbarkeitsstudie Hebewerk Neuer Wallenstein- Wasserweg, Diploma thesis at the University of Rostock, 2005 [11] B. Krybus, M. Schröder, Ausbau des Wallensteingrabens für die Sportbootschifffahrt, Diploma thesis at the University of Rostock, 2000 [12] M. Rogge, Kostenschätzung Wallenstein-Wasserweg, Diploma thesis at the University of Rostock, 2007 [13] O. Weidemann, H. Düster, Ausbau des Wallensteingrabens für die Sportbootschifffahrt, Diploma thesis at the University of Rostock,