With a clearance height of 4.60 metres and a water depth of two metres, the Elbe-Lübeck Canal (ELK) between Lauenburg and Lübeck Although it is not an option for yachts with a large draught and standing mast, it offers a convenient alternative to the Kiel Canal when the mast is lowered. Not this spring, however - the Donnerschleuse lock is closed and continuous navigation is interrupted
Surprisingly poor condition
Due to severe damage, the structure at ELK kilometre 20.7 had to be closed last autumn. During a regular inspection of the Donnerschleuse lock, a surprisingly poor condition of the chamber floor was discovered.
Further investigations by divers then revealed that extensive renovation work would be necessary to restore operational safety. The chamber floor is made of non-watertight concrete and has an upper reinforcement mesh.
Lockdown could last even longer
It is still not possible to say how long the complete closure of the Donner lock will last. The still Valid message for inland navigation of the responsible Elbe Waterways and Shipping Authority states 30 April 2025, but also says that this end date is "fictitious" - also due to the uncertain weather conditions.
Sailors planning a passage through the Elbe-Lübeck Canal at the beginning of the season should therefore be prepared for a later start - or consider the alternative route via the Lower Elbe, Kiel Canal and Bay of Kiel.
Thunder sluice was only repaired in 2006
There are a total of seven locks along the 67-kilometre Elbe-Lübeck Canal, the Donner lock is the third as seen from the start of the federal waterway near Lauenburg on the Elbe. The usable chamber length is 80 metres and the average lifting height is 4.18 metres. Although the original structure was opened in 1900, it was completely renovated in 2006 - less than 20 years ago.
