Eibenstock Dam
Encyclopedia
Eibenstock Dam is the largest dam in the Free State of Saxony
in East Germany in terms of the height of the dam above the valley floor and its reservoir is the largest in volume. The dam impounds the waters of the Zwickauer Mulde
and supplies drinking water
to the region of Chemnitz
and Zwickau
, as well as providing flood protection, delivering extra water during times of drought and, to a lesser extent, generating electricity from hydropower
. Its dimensions make it the second largest drinking water reservoir in Germany's new federal states.
In order to make way for its construction the inhabitants of the villages of Muldenhammer (also called Windischhammer or Windischthal), whose former houses (10 homes, 1 wood sanding shop, 1 large estate for the breeding of Höhenfleckrindern cattle and a paper mill) lie today under the water surface, had to be resettled. Many of them moved to new houses that were built in Eibenstock. In addition the Chemnitz–Aue–Adorfer Railway between Wolfsgrün and Schönheide Ost was interrupted. The Schönheiderhammer Tunnel on that stretch of the route was flooded. At low water levels the old portals of the tunnel can still be seen. Even the branching line from Eibenstock unt. Bf. to Eibenstock ob. Bf. had to be closed. This section was once known as the Eibenstock Ramp (Steilstrecke Eibenstock) because it was the only standard gauge railway in Saxony that had an incline of 1:20.
The barrier itself is a straight gravity dam made of concrete. The dam was built between 1974 and 1984 near Eibenstock
in the Ore Mountains
; it was completed in 1987 and taken into service in 1982. The first partial impoundment had been carried out by 1980.
The dam has a pre-dam (Schönheiderhammer Pre-Dam) and four upper basins (Rähmerbach, Geidenbach, Weißbach, Rohrbach).
Above the dam is an observation point from which there is a view of the reservoir. The dam itself is not accessible to the public. Bathing and water sports are also banned, because it is a drinking water reservoir.
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
in East Germany in terms of the height of the dam above the valley floor and its reservoir is the largest in volume. The dam impounds the waters of the Zwickauer Mulde
Zwickauer Mulde
The Zwickauer Mulde is a river in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is the left tributary of the Mulde and 166 km in length.The source of the river is in the Ore Mountains, near Schöneck, in the Vogtlandkreis. It runs northeast to Aue, then northwest to Zwickau , and further north through...
and supplies drinking water
Drinking water
Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...
to the region of Chemnitz
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
and Zwickau
Zwickau
Zwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
, as well as providing flood protection, delivering extra water during times of drought and, to a lesser extent, generating electricity from hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
. Its dimensions make it the second largest drinking water reservoir in Germany's new federal states.
In order to make way for its construction the inhabitants of the villages of Muldenhammer (also called Windischhammer or Windischthal), whose former houses (10 homes, 1 wood sanding shop, 1 large estate for the breeding of Höhenfleckrindern cattle and a paper mill) lie today under the water surface, had to be resettled. Many of them moved to new houses that were built in Eibenstock. In addition the Chemnitz–Aue–Adorfer Railway between Wolfsgrün and Schönheide Ost was interrupted. The Schönheiderhammer Tunnel on that stretch of the route was flooded. At low water levels the old portals of the tunnel can still be seen. Even the branching line from Eibenstock unt. Bf. to Eibenstock ob. Bf. had to be closed. This section was once known as the Eibenstock Ramp (Steilstrecke Eibenstock) because it was the only standard gauge railway in Saxony that had an incline of 1:20.
The barrier itself is a straight gravity dam made of concrete. The dam was built between 1974 and 1984 near Eibenstock
Eibenstock
Eibenstock is a town in the western Ore Mountains, in the Erzgebirgskreis, Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the river Mulde.- Geography :...
in the Ore Mountains
Ore Mountains
The Ore Mountains in Central Europe have formed a natural border between Saxony and Bohemia for many centuries. Today, the border between Germany and the Czech Republic runs just north of the main crest of the mountain range...
; it was completed in 1987 and taken into service in 1982. The first partial impoundment had been carried out by 1980.
The dam has a pre-dam (Schönheiderhammer Pre-Dam) and four upper basins (Rähmerbach, Geidenbach, Weißbach, Rohrbach).
Above the dam is an observation point from which there is a view of the reservoir. The dam itself is not accessible to the public. Bathing and water sports are also banned, because it is a drinking water reservoir.