Zillierbach Dam
Encyclopedia
The Zillierbach Dam lies in the East Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt
near the town of Elbingerode (Harz) and impounds the Zillierbach
stream. It supplies drinking water
to several villages in the High Harz (Elbingerode, Elend (Harz), Schierke
, teilweise Rübeland
) as well as the town of Wernigerode
; it also provides flood protection.
The Zillierbach was known as the Holtemme
until the 16th century, then from 1558 as the Zilgerbach. Not until much later was it given its present name. Before the construction of the dam at Peterstein it supplied the mills in Wernigerode and in the area around Halberstadt
. Its variable water supply was evened out by an artificial ditch on the south side of the Hohneklippen, the Wormsgraben, built in the late 12th century.
; but this was changed during construction. From 1998 to 2001 the dam
was overhauled.
In the middle of the wall is the valve house with the operating equipment.
on a railway. The aggregate was extracted locally. A sawmill was built at the inlet to the reservoir just to provide wood for the dam casing. The cost was estimated beforehand at 3.31 million Reichsmarks. The bulk of the work was completed in June 1936. 54,500 m³ of casting mortar was used. In 1937 the waterworks
below the dam was taken into service.
Since the overhaul and the aforementioned modifications, the crest is now accessible to walkers crossing the valley. The forestry commission has also removed trees blocking the view of the southern side of the dam from the observation point at Peterstein (checkpoint 36 on the Harzer Wandernadel
hiking network).
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
near the town of Elbingerode (Harz) and impounds the Zillierbach
Zillierbach
The Zillierbach is a stream in the Harz mountains of central Germany The Zillierbach (until 1558 called the Zilgerbach) is a stream in the Harz mountains of central Germany The Zillierbach (until 1558 called the Zilgerbach) is a stream in the Harz mountains of central Germany (Harz district in the...
stream. It 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 several villages in the High Harz (Elbingerode, Elend (Harz), Schierke
Schierke
Schierke is a village and a former municipality in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2009, it is part of the town Wernigerode.Schierke was first mentioned as Schiriken in a 1590 deed...
, teilweise Rübeland
Rübeland
Rübeland is a village in the collective municipality of Elbingerode in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and, since 2004, has been given the additional description of Höhlenort...
) as well as the town of Wernigerode
Wernigerode
Wernigerode is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode. Its population was 35,500 in 1999....
; it also provides flood protection.
The Zillierbach was known as the Holtemme
Holtemme
The Holtemme is a 47 km long tributary of the river Bode in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.It rises in the Harz mountains at the eastern foot of the Brocken, descends during its upper course as the Steinerne Renne, a steep stream bed riddled with granite rocks, flows through Hasserode, Wernigerode and past...
until the 16th century, then from 1558 as the Zilgerbach. Not until much later was it given its present name. Before the construction of the dam at Peterstein it supplied the mills in Wernigerode and in the area around Halberstadt
Halberstadt
Halberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
. Its variable water supply was evened out by an artificial ditch on the south side of the Hohneklippen, the Wormsgraben, built in the late 12th century.
Dam
Das barrage is a concrete gravity dam. Initially it was intended to build an arch damArch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
; but this was changed during construction. From 1998 to 2001 the 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...
was overhauled.
In the middle of the wall is the valve house with the operating equipment.
Construction
The plan to build a dam first appeared in 1931. During the early phase of construction in 1934 cult artefacts from around the turn of the eras (AD 0) were found. The construction material was delivered from Drei Annen HohneDrei Annen Hohne
Drei Annen Hohne is a village that lies on the edge of the Harz National Park in the Harz mountains of central Germany. Administratively it is part of the borough of Wernigerode in the district of Harz within the German state of Saxony-Anhalt....
on a railway. The aggregate was extracted locally. A sawmill was built at the inlet to the reservoir just to provide wood for the dam casing. The cost was estimated beforehand at 3.31 million Reichsmarks. The bulk of the work was completed in June 1936. 54,500 m³ of casting mortar was used. In 1937 the waterworks
WaterWorks
WaterWorks is a water park owned by Cedar Fair, located at the back of Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. When it debuted in 1992, it was originally named Hurricane Reef...
below the dam was taken into service.
Overhaul and modernisation
After 60 years of operation the stability of the dam against collapse could no longer be guaranteed. Likewise the technical equipment was outmoded. From November 1998 to May 2000 the dam and waterworks were overhauled at a financial cost of 7 million Deutsche Marks. The dam crest was widened to 3.30 metres and raised by about 1 metre. The valve house on the crest was given a 1.5 m wide gangway around it. The parapet walls were replaced by a railing. Prior to the overhaul, the equipment in the valve house had to be set manually and measurements could only be made on the sport in the power station. When the dam was first built, drainage channels were laid between the wall segments which had gradually disintegrated over time. As a result vertical boreholes were drilled to drain the water away. The waterworks was modernised and supplies 2.9 million m³ of water annually.Since the overhaul and the aforementioned modifications, the crest is now accessible to walkers crossing the valley. The forestry commission has also removed trees blocking the view of the southern side of the dam from the observation point at Peterstein (checkpoint 36 on the Harzer Wandernadel
Harzer Wandernadel
The Harzer Wandernadel is a network of checkpoints for walkers in the Harz mountains in North Germany. It includes a system whereby the hiker can earn badges at different levels by walking to the various checkpoints in the network and recording them...
hiking network).