One of Copenhagen’s largest construction projects ever – a massive tunnel to manage water from future cloudbursts – is entering a critical phase. Read here to find out what it’s all about.

An underground highway for rainwater aims to save Copenhagen from cloudbursts

Grafik: Mads Pedersen. Animation: Tomas Østergren
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What kind of project is it?

The Svanemøllen Cloudburst Tunnel project aims to protect the capital area from flooding due to future heavy rainfalls. With the barracks of Svanemøllens Kaserne as the hub, Denmark’s longest cloudburst tunnel will branch one way towards Lygten in Nørrebro, another towards Utterslev Mose, and the third towards the northern tip of Nordhavn.

Residents in the capital area will effectively be walking above the tunnel, which in total will be 10 kilometers long and run 10 to 30 meters underground. It has the capacity to hold 100,000 cubic meters of water. The volume is equivalent to water standing up to the third floor along all of Strøget.

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