Amselsee
Encyclopedia
The Amselsee is a small reservoir
in the spa town of Rathen
in Saxon Switzerland
. It is located in the Free State of Saxony in Eastern Germany.
, in 1934 a stream, the Grünbach (or Amselgrundbach), the main waterbody in the Amselgrund
valley, was impounded by the municipality of Rathen
just above its confluence with the Wehlgrund
that joins from the rights 1934. The dam is around five metres high. At 127 m above sea level the curved, narrow, roughly 550 m long trout pond is used in summer for boat rides (using slot machines!) as well as for fish breeding and also provides flood prevention. Round trips have been possible since 1969. The trout
stock is sometimes mixed with American rainbow trout
. Amongst the lakeside vegetation broad-winged damselflies
or demoiselles may be seen.
of 31 July 2004 the period of construction lasted from 21 July 1934 to 19 December 1934. It has a drainage outlet with a diameter of 50 cm and a flood spillway
with 7 openings, each 2 m wide, in the centre of the dam.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in the spa town of Rathen
Rathen
Rathen is a village in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, in Saxony, Germany, about 35 km southeast of Dresden on the Elbe River. Rathen has between 400 and 500 inhabitants....
in Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sandstone Mountains....
. It is located in the Free State of Saxony in Eastern Germany.
Reservoir
To create the Amselsee in Saxon SwitzerlandSaxon Switzerland
Saxon Switzerland is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sandstone Mountains....
, in 1934 a stream, the Grünbach (or Amselgrundbach), the main waterbody in the Amselgrund
Amselgrund
The Amselgrund is the name given to the valley of the Grünbach stream in the heart of Saxon Switzerland in Eastern Germany. It runs from Niederrathen upstream to Rathewalde. The wild and romantic valley takes hikers through the Rathen rock basin with its bizarre rock formations...
valley, was impounded by the municipality of Rathen
Rathen
Rathen is a village in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, in Saxony, Germany, about 35 km southeast of Dresden on the Elbe River. Rathen has between 400 and 500 inhabitants....
just above its confluence with the Wehlgrund
Wehlgrund
The Wehlgrund in Saxon Switzerland in Eastern Germany is a right-hand, side valley of the Amselgrund, between the Bastei massif and the Kleiner Gans. Amongst the steep rock faces of the upper valley and the heavily divided head of the valley is the romantic and natural backdrop for the Rathen Open...
that joins from the rights 1934. The dam is around five metres high. At 127 m above sea level the curved, narrow, roughly 550 m long trout pond is used in summer for boat rides (using slot machines!) as well as for fish breeding and also provides flood prevention. Round trips have been possible since 1969. The trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
stock is sometimes mixed with American rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
. Amongst the lakeside vegetation broad-winged damselflies
Calopterygidae
Calopterygidae are a family of damselflies in the order Odonata and are commonly known as broad-winged damselflies or demoiselles. These rather large damselflies have wingspans of 5–8 cm and they're often metallic-coloured. The family contains some 150 species...
or demoiselles may be seen.
Dam
The barrier is a straight gravity dam made of rubble stone masonry. It was built in 1934 and taken into service in 1935. According to an article in the Sächsische ZeitungSächsische Zeitung
Sächsische Zeitung is a German daily newspaper. Founded on 13 April 1946, the Sächsische Zeitung's main office is based in Dresden. It is the largest newspaper in Saxony, with 95 % of its copies distributed through subscriptions. Ownership stakes have it leaning slightly towards the centre-left...
of 31 July 2004 the period of construction lasted from 21 July 1934 to 19 December 1934. It has a drainage outlet with a diameter of 50 cm and a flood spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
with 7 openings, each 2 m wide, in the centre of the dam.