Ever wondered how Amsterdam’s Haarlemmermeer was drained? Behold Gemaal De Leeghwater. This isn’t just any pump. It’s a historical marvel a testament to ingenuity.
Gemaal De Leeghwater stands proudly in Buitenkaag. It’s one of three incredible pumping stations responsible for draining the Haarlemmermeer. This massive lake threatened Amsterdam Leiden and Haarlem. It was a growing menace nicknamed the ‘Waterwolf’.
Our story begins in 1641. Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater a visionary engineer proposed a bold plan to tame the Waterwolf. His dream became a reality with the construction of Gemaal De Leeghwater in 1845. It was completed in 1845. The first test run happened that same year. It was officially put into service in June 1848.
Imagine the scene. The year is 1845. King Willem III himself visited this very spot to witness the power of steam. The original design by waterworks engineer Beijerink was breathtaking. It resembled a castle with cranes and a tall chimney.
Inside the round building stood a massive steam engine. This engine powered enormous iron balance arms. These arms extended outside through openings in the walls. They were incredibly strong resting on two-meter-thick walls.
Eleven balance arms moved the pistons. The pistons pumped water approximately five meters upwards. Then the water flowed under the Lisserdijk into the Ringvaart. Each pump lifted about six cubic meters of water at a time. All pumps together moved roughly 500 cubic meters per minute. This was an incredible feat of engineering.
Gibbs & Dean an English engineering firm designed the installation. The contractor C de Laat from Gorinchem started the construction. It cost 161000 guilders. The steam engine was built by Harvey & Co in Hayle Cornwall. Fox & Co’s Perran Foundry near Falmouth built the pumps. The iron balances and five steam boilers were made locally by Van Vlissingen and Van Heel. This was a 64000 guilder contract.
In 1912 a major transformation took place. Steam was replaced by diesel engines. The chimney and balance arms disappeared. The round building was partially hidden by the addition of two wings. Today Gemaal De Leeghwater still operates though less frequently than in the past. It’s used for approximately 600 hours per year mostly as backup for the other stations.
Though many changes have occurred little of the original neo-Gothic design remains. Unlike its sister stations Gemaal De Leeghwater shows the marks of time and modernization. Yet it stands as a lasting symbol of human ambition a reminder of how we conquered the Waterwolf.