Kolindsund

Facts

Denmark's largest dried-up lake

Kolindsund on Djursland was Denmark's largest freshwater lake, stretching over 18 kilometres in length and 1-3 kilometres in width. The water area covered 2,500 hectares. The drainage work took place in 1872-1879 and was started by a private limited company from Copenhagen. As the lake was two metres below sea level, there was no natural outflow into the sea. Expensive pump stations were required to drain the lake completely. The private limited company introduced a new initiative. It established sound farms" on the lake bed and parcelled them out to farmers who cultivated the boggy muddy land. But it was not profitable and 40 years passed before A/S Kolindsund could pay out its first dividend. "

Public place

Selected entry

Society pays healthy sum for sound farmers

Story written by Kjeld Hansen

Time / Periode 1872 1879

2 Comments 0 recommendations

The world crisis had knocked the bottom out of the sound farmers' finances. On 11 March 1933, the pumps in Kolindsund stopped for good. The private limited company could no longer afford the electricity. The water soon flooded the fields. It was too much for politicians – they couldn't bear to watch. Parliament granted a low-cost million-kroner loan, reduced the tax assessment of the land and eased the farmers' taxes. The State was also willing to renovate all the pumps, channels and dikes. Now it was up to society to safeguard the reclaimed land, though the land was in private hands. The subject of how much tax payers should pay to ensure the sound farmers' fields against flooding is still up for discussion. It has also been suggested that the lake should be recreated, as the low-lying land still causes major problems.