Inundation lock Ochten

Near Ochten, there is a flood sluice in the Linge River. This sluice, built in 1939, was used during the May days of 1940 to flood parts of the Betuwe region. The structure is an example of hydraulic engineering and was part of the former defense line between Ochten and De Spees near Kesteren.

By closing the sluice in the Linge with stop beams, the area in front of the dike could be flooded. The goal was to regulate the water level so that the area was impassable: it was impossible to walk through or sail across it.

When German troops crossed the Rhine near Arnhem in May 1940, construction of the Betuwe Line was not yet complete. Although the sluice was further closed, the water supply from the Linge was so limited at that time that the water level could only be raised by a few centimeters.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: TracesofWar