Once a crucial defense against floods, the Hoher Wallgraben now whispers tales of a changing Berlin. Today we are standing before the Hoher Wallgraben. It is a waterway with a hidden story.
The Hoher Wallgraben is a water ditch in Berlin-Karlshorst. It flows south from the Klingenberg power plant to the Spree. This artificial ditch once protected residents from Rohrlake floods.
The Wuhlheide waterworks started operating in 1914. It reduced flood risks. The Hoher Wallgraben became less important.
Much of the Hoher Wallgraben is no longer visible. Parts of it are piped underground. Other sections are simply dry. The Carlsgarten housing estate construction covered more areas near the Karlshorst racetrack.
Near the racetrack, it crossed the Rohrlake. It indirectly fed the Seepark on Liepnitzstraße. From Rummelsburger Landstraße, the Hoher Wallgraben is exposed again. It marks the border between Lichtenberg and Treptow-Köpenick districts. This section was cleared and restored in 2007.
There were plans in the 1990s. The plans were for a complete restoration of the Hoher Wallgraben and Rohrlake in Wuhlheide. These plans never happened. Besides ecological and urban benefits, the goal was Wuhlheide drainage. Groundwater levels rose dramatically after the Wuhlheide waterworks closed. This flooded cellars in nearby residential areas.
Since 1934, the residential street here carries the name Hoher Wallgraben. It is a reminder of the ditch’s past significance. The Hoher Wallgraben was once known as Rohrlake. It was a stream in Wuhlheide that flowed into the Spree. Today, parts of it run in pipes.
Imagine the Hoher Wallgraben long ago. The residents were building defenses against the floods. Now look around. See how the city changed. It is a hidden stream. Yet it still shapes the landscape.