Dreilägerbachtalsperre

The Dreilägerbachtalsperre is a reservoir near Roetgen built to supply drinking water to the Aachen region and surrounding areas. The dam, constructed between 1909 and 1911, stands about 37 meters high and holds up to 3.8 million cubic meters of water using a weight dam design called the Intze principle.

The reservoir was built between 1909 and 1911 using innovative stamped concrete technology and the Intze weight dam design. Additional water channels were constructed to gather flow from distant streams, ensuring reliable supply to the growing water network for nearby communities.

The reservoir is easily accessible by bus with regular connections from nearby towns. Paths around the water area are suitable for walking and hiking, with portions of the dam itself being walkable and offering views across the entire water surface.

The dam employed stamped concrete technology that was cutting-edge for its era, enabling faster and more reliable construction than traditional methods. Water channels extending several kilometers from distant streams reflect how engineers creatively solved water scarcity to feed the growing Aachen city network.