Located at the edge of Kraggenburg, Smeenge pumping station pumps excess water away from the 9,000-hectare eastern part of the Noordoostpolderder. Smeenge pumping station was commissioned on 22 April 1941. On 9 September 1942, the Noordoostpolder fell dry. About 1,500 million m3 of water was pumped out of the polder, of which about 375 million was pumped by Smeenge. The Smeenge pumping station is named after the Liberal Mr H. Smeenge, one of the great advocates (and later vice-chairman) of the Zuiderzeevereniging (Zuiderzee Association) founded in 1885. This association researched the impoldering of the Zuiderzee, the Wadden and the Lauwerszee.
