Ir.D.F. Woudagemaal
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How it came to be
The low land of Friesland was long drained by windmills. In the Netherlands steam was first used for pumping in 1825, at the Arkelse Dam near Gorinchem. D.F. Wouda, chief engineer of the province's water authority, designed a steam pumping station on the lake shore at Lemmer.
Queen Wilhelmina opened it on 7 October 1920. Four steam engines each drive two centrifugal pumps, together lifting 4,000 cubic metres of water a minute out of the province. During construction lightning struck the newly built chimney, which had to be rebuilt. The boilers were replaced in 1955 and converted from coal to fuel oil in 1967.
The largest steam pumping station ever built was inscribed in 1998. It still runs a few times a year when Friesland's water rises unusually high.
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