The Ruhrverband is ensuring a sustainable future for the Möhnetal valley

The Möhne Dam, a significant landmark in South Westphalia, is currently undergoing extensive construction and modernization. The Ruhr Association, responsible for the dam, has taken preparatory measures last year and is now carrying out repairs, replacements, and modernizations.

One of the key aspects of the ongoing work is the construction of a new canal, approximately 180 meters long, through the compensation basin. This canal is intended to ensure controlled water discharge.

Many components at the Möhne Dam, some dating back to 1953, are being replaced or modernized. This includes the masonry on the dam, sluice houses, and wing walls of the cascades, as well as the two turbine inlet gates. The cone nozzles located at the bottom of the compensation basin, important for ventilation, are also being modernized.

The Ruhr Association is also aerating the deep layers of the Möhne Lake to prevent fish deaths in the fall. Small bubbles can be seen rising from the dam water, indicating the aeration process. This is particularly important for the cold-loving fish species at the bottom of the lake, which lack oxygen in the jump layer. The aeration is expected to continue until about mid-October.

The impounded part of the Möhne Dam is also being actively worked on. The Ruhr Association is blowing pure oxygen into the deep layers of the lake for aeration.

Entering or driving on the drained basin areas is strictly prohibited due to significant hazards. Signs warning of the danger of death have been placed. A small stream is winding through the compensation basin, necessary for construction work.

Approximately 200 meters further on, the auxiliary power plant is being renovated. The Ruhr Association will provide updates on this topic on 08. September 2025 in their website television: Local Time South Westphalia, 7:30 PM.

Despite the extensive construction work, there is currently no information available about the precise location of deep water oxygen exchange in the Möhne Reservoir or a related project in September 2025.

Despite the challenges posed by excessive rainfall last year, which prevented the implementation of a first major construction phase, the work at the Möhne Dam is progressing steadily. The aeration process and the modernization of the dam's components are crucial steps towards ensuring the dam's continued safety and efficiency.