Hydraulic engineering

›› Fockenbach, Höfingen
›› Planmühle Mill, Weil der Stadt

Hydrological design values

Client: DB-Projektbau
Period of execution: 10/2006



Shortly before its entry into the Glems River, the Fockenbach stream is blocked off by a railway embankment. When the embankment was built, a railway crossing modified as a floodway was built to allow the Fockenbach stream to pass. This crossing is due for renovation.

To design the new railway crossing appropriately, the high water run-off volumes of the stream had to be determined during different seasons. A river basin model was modified to simulate the expected flood level arising from municipal and rural catchment areas. Changes in the catchment area which resulted from the construction of the Rutesheim by-pass were determined by site inspections on field days. The anticipated maximum run-off volumes were generated dynamically using design events.

Ecological continuity

Client: Weil der Stadt City Council
Period of execution: 10/2006



Already as far back as 1992, an attempt was made to adapt the continuity of the Würm River in such a way that it would be possible for aquatic organisms to migrate. For that purpose, a basin pass was designed. However, the sill beams installed at the time prevented the upstream migration of bottom feeders. To achieve satisfactory continuity, it was necessary to modify and re-convert the mill flume into a fish ramp.

The underlying data was determined by tacheometry, and measurements taken at the base, and, by measuring the water level at the existing mill flume, this data was used to create a digital terrain model. Using this background, a unidimensional hydraulic calculation of the actual state was made, taking into account the back-pressure effects created by the undercurrent. This basis was used to validate the proposed plan in the form of a fish ramp having three sections. The reason for this three-part design was a requirement specified, so that the existing well could have the necessary counter-pressure, since the well was intended as a future water supply, for localised use. By taking into account local conditions and working in close co-operation with area residents, the ecological continuity of the weir plant at the Planmühle Mill in Weil der Stadt was restored within a construction period of approximately two months.

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