Einser-Kanal

Einser-Kanal (Hungarian: Hanság föcsatorna), artificial water-channel south-east of Lake Neusiedl, forming the border between Austria and Hungary over a distance of approximately 17 km. It was built by Hungary (30 km long, 4.8 m deep, 7-15 m wide; finished in 1895) to drain the swamps of Hanság (Waasen) and as an outlet for Lake Neusiedl, which has no natural outlet. The level difference of the canal head between the Rivers Raab and Danube is very slight, so that if these two rivers flood, backwater is caused and the water runs back to the lake. Only northwesterly winds cause currents in the canal, but the lake still loses some million m³ water each year. When Burgenland was divided in 1918, Hungary kept the outlet of the Einser-Kanal and the new state border was set east of Pamhagen along the northern bank of the canal.