River waves · Case studies

Case study blackforestwave Pforzheim: the only river wave in Baden-Württemberg

The blackforestwave in Pforzheim's Stadtgarten is the wave the Remswelle has to measure itself against – it is the only standing river wave in Baden-Württemberg and the cheapest example of an installation in existing infrastructure. Profile and location: blackforestwave in the wave directory.

At a glance

Timeline

The vision arose in 2014 in a project assignment in mechanical engineering at Pforzheim University. In 2016 the choice of site fell on the Metzelgraben, in 2017 the club was founded and had flow tests run on a model at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. In autumn 2018 the water-law permit from the municipal environmental office and the usage permit from the Stadtwerke were in place, and in November 2018 ground was broken for the foundation. The start originally planned for spring 2019 was postponed because the club switched to a lowerable concept that could be used all year round. In October 2020 the members installed the structure – "3,000 bolts, ten hydraulic cylinders" –, tests followed in 2021, the inauguration in September 2021. From November 2021 members surfed regularly, from spring 2022 guests too.

Seven years from vision to operation, three years from permit to inauguration. In July 2026 the club launched the crowdfunding for "blackforestwave 2.0": an optimised concrete foundation (first construction phase August 2026), a new fully extendable ramp and a higher, more powerful wave that also runs at a lower water level.

Technology

The wave does not sit in the river but in a canal – that is the key. The Metzelgraben carries Nagold water through the Stadtgarten; the Nagold itself was left untouched. The water is impounded, accelerated over an inclined ramp and meets slower water. The ramp is a steel frame of five components, clad with regional timber boards, adjusted via ten hydraulic cylinders and an app programmed by the club itself; a "waveshaper" allows fine-tuning during operation. The installation can be lowered completely: the canal then remains passable for fish and the discharge unobstructed. There are no pumps, the wave runs on the power of the river alone. Underwater lighting makes evening sessions possible. Besides the KIT, those involved were Ingenieurgruppe Bauen, Klenk Metall, KWT Hydro and from 2019 the hydraulic engineering firm WALD+CORBE; the timber and ramp elements were made by the members themselves in a workshop hall.

The limit of the installation is the water level: in summer, low water restricts operation, and on open-surf days only light surfers are then allowed on the water. This is exactly what the 2026 rebuild is meant to improve.

Costs and funding

Pforzheim is the example of how far voluntary work goes. The club cites around 80,000 euros for the installation (another source 85,000); experts estimated the value of the installation including own work at over one million euros. More than a thousand hours of voluntary work went into the construction. The main sponsor since 2018 has been the G.RAU group of companies ("powered by ADMEDES & G.RAU"), joined by Stadtwerke Pforzheim, Gerstner Trauringe, the Kupferdächle, the City of Pforzheim as partner and other companies for the inauguration. No figure for a municipal grant has been published. The 2026 rebuild is funded through crowdfunding and sponsorship packages; the target sum and total costs are not public. → Costs and funding

Permits and procedure

The responsible body was the Office for Environmental Protection of the City of Pforzheim (water-law permit for construction, operation and adjustment of the water level), plus the usage permit from the Stadtwerke as canal operator. The ability to lower the installation and passability for fish were ecological conditions; the club keeps spawning seasons free and carries out watercourse clean-ups. The fact that the wave lies in a technical canal and not in the river has noticeably simplified the procedure. → Ecology and permits

Operation

The non-profit club works with an unpaid board. Surfing takes place only with a wave warden and two lifeguards, mostly at weekends and on two evenings during the week; slots are allocated internally. Helmets and vests are mandatory, leashes are prohibited. The annual fee is 100 euros (reduced 50, family 150) and includes insurance during surfing operation and equipment hire. For non-members there are open-surf days with online booking, a liability waiver and a safety video, together with the Kupferdächle cultural centre as "Open Surf & Arts". Children are expressly welcome too – all who can swim; the club provides members with board, wetsuit, helmet and vest. → Surfing, young people and health Membership grew from around 30 active members in 2019 to around 200 in 2022 and over 230 in 2026.

What Winterbach can learn from this

Pforzheim is the most important reference for the Remswelle, for three reasons. First, it lies in the same federal state: the procedure at the municipal environmental office, the conditions on lowerability and fish passage, the role of the Stadtwerke – all of this is the framework in which Winterbach also operates. Second, Pforzheim shows the lower end of the cost scale: where the infrastructure is in place and the club does the work itself, a fraction of what Nuremberg or Hanover cost is enough. Third, the 2026 rebuild shows the flip side: a wave that depends on its water level will at some point need improving. For Winterbach this means knowing the discharge figures of the Rems early and designing the installation from the outset for the range that flows on most days of the year. → The Winterbach site

Frequently asked questions

What did the blackforestwave cost?

According to the club, around 80,000 euros for the installation, borne by sponsors such as the G.RAU Group and Stadtwerke Pforzheim; on top of that come more than a thousand hours of own work, the value of which experts estimate at over one million euros.

Why is the wave in a canal and not in the Nagold?

The Metzelgraben is a technical canal with a controllable water level in the middle of the city. The wave can be lowered completely there, the river remains untouched – that simplified the permit and operation.

Can you surf in Pforzheim without a membership?

Yes, on open-surf days with online booking; in regular operation members surf with a wave warden and lifeguards.

Sources: blackforestwave e.V., "Welle", "Einweihung", "FAQ", "Verein", "Open Surf & Arts" (blackforestwave.de) · Pforzheimer Zeitung, 13.01.2019, 19.03.2019 and 02.07.2026 · Stuttgarter Nachrichten, November 2018 · Stuttgarter Zeitung, 11.02.2022 (quoted at kanu-bw.de) · #heimat Schwarzwald 4/2023 · Surfers Mag, 19.03.2019 and September 2021 · die neue welle, 03.07.2026

Last updated: 15 October 2026 · Initiative Remswelle