Saidenbach Dam
Encyclopedia
The Saidenbach Dam is a dam in the German state of Saxony
. Its reservoir supplies drinking water
to Chemnitz
and, in conjunction with the Central Ore Mountain Dam System (Talsperrensystem Mittleres Erzgebirge) and its other dams - Neunzehnhain I und II and Einsiedel
- contributes to the supply of the region covered by the South Saxony Long Distance Water Association (Zweckverbandes Fernwasser Südsachsen).
To a lesser extent the dam is also used to generate electricity
and for flood protection.
The actual dam
is a curved gravity dam made of rubblestone and based on the Intze principle. The dam was built from 1929 to 1933 in the vicinity of Lengefeld
in the Ore Mountains
and was taken into service in 1933. It is a "large dam" according to ICOLD criteria. The streams impounded are the Haselbach, Saidenbach, Lippersdorfer Bach and Hölzelbergbach.
A public footpath runs along the dam crest. Bathing and leisure sports in the reservoir are not permitted, but the public may walk around the reservoir and it is also available for fishing.
The Saidenbach Dam also has a pre-dam (Forchheim) and ten upper basins, of which four are usually filled.
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....
. Its reservoir 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 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, in conjunction with the Central Ore Mountain Dam System (Talsperrensystem Mittleres Erzgebirge) and its other dams - Neunzehnhain I und II and Einsiedel
Einsiedel Dam
Einsiedel Dam is located in the German Free State of Saxony. Its reservoir supplies drinking water to Chemnitz and, in conjunction with the Central Ore Mountains reservoir system, that includes the reservoirs of Neunzehnhain I, II and Saidenbach also supplies water to the entire region covered by...
- contributes to the supply of the region covered by the South Saxony Long Distance Water Association (Zweckverbandes Fernwasser Südsachsen).
To a lesser extent the dam is also used to generate electricity
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...
and for flood protection.
The actual dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
is a curved gravity dam made of rubblestone and based on the Intze principle. The dam was built from 1929 to 1933 in the vicinity of Lengefeld
Lengefeld
Lengefeld is a town in the district Erzgebirgskreis, in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the Ore Mountains, 23 km southeast of Chemnitz....
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...
and was taken into service in 1933. It is a "large dam" according to ICOLD criteria. The streams impounded are the Haselbach, Saidenbach, Lippersdorfer Bach and Hölzelbergbach.
A public footpath runs along the dam crest. Bathing and leisure sports in the reservoir are not permitted, but the public may walk around the reservoir and it is also available for fishing.
The Saidenbach Dam also has a pre-dam (Forchheim) and ten upper basins, of which four are usually filled.