Technikatörténeti szemle 6. (1971-72)

KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Károlyi Zsigmond: Az Alduna szabályozás múltjából

Navigation conditions had been improved radically by the works — for threequarters of a century navigation over the section was secured — yet the results was still not a completely satisfactory one. In the Iron Gate canal auxiliary towing was needed, and even so the barges could move upstream only one by one. During low water ship loads were still limited, and along the accurately marked navigation way traffic was allowed only with the help of licensed pilots. Meeting of vessels and night-time navigation were forbidden. Regardless there of, as declared also by Professor V.E, Timonov, famous Russian hydraulic engineer in his monography

: „the execution of the works for improving navigation conditions was much worthy of attention as well from the scientific as from the pratcical points of view"

. „The experiences gained outlined the possibilities and ways of the execution of similar works, and were directly usable in the plan prepared for the improvement of the navigation conditions on the Dnieper." (Fig. 5) The Hungarian Government — based on the practical experiences gained — had ordered modifications and corrections of the plans during construction already, and then detailed plans were made for the radical improvement of the naviagtion way. The realization of these was, howewer, prevented by the Balkan wars, and later by World War I. At the same time plans were prepared for harnessing the hydroelectric potential of the section (by H. Luther, D. Bánki, B. Halter, L. Fischer-Beinau, J. Bosemayer, A. Smriek, G. C. Vasilesco etc.). Howewer, the economic and technological background necessary for the project was not available then. The development of science and technology enabled the complete and economical elimination of navigational obstacles only recently by the construction of the Iron Gate river barrage. The two states along the banks

: Yugoslavia and Roumania — under an agreement of common financing and planning — have built between 1964— 1972 the Iron Gate barrage at R. St. 943 km of the Danube. The construction of the barrage liquidated the largest obstacle of the transcontinental waterway — wich will be inaugurated in 1980 by the opening of the Danube — Main — Rhine canal. Thereafter it will be the task of the other countries along the Danube to eliminate the remaining navigation obstacles, which require less work, but are also expensive. The aim of this short historical review is to direct attention to the pioneers and promoters of regulation on the Iron Gate section of the Danube, namely I. Széchenyi and P. Vásárhelyi and also to the regulation works themselves, which had at the end of the last century Europe-wide importance and reputation. By damming up the water level by the Iron Gate river barrage the former regulation works them have become submerged, and the new era in navigation on the Danube was started. 8* 115