The presented simulation study is used to reduce the energy consumption
of pumps in a hinterland drainage system. Continuous and discrete event simulation are combined to calculate water levels, energy consumption and cost for the presented system. Simple pumping rules are compared and tested for usability. A parameter study is conducted to find optimal thresholds for the policies and shows the optimization potential. The paper shows, how a proactive pumping can reduce the cost for pumping and increase the flexibility of power consumption.