Hornberg Basin, reservoir in Germany, upper basin of Wehr power plant
The Hornberg Basin is a large reservoir in Herrischried completed in 1975 that stores water for electricity generation. It is part of a pumped storage system where water flows between different levels to spin turbines and produce power on demand.
The basin was built in the early 1970s and opened in 1975 as part of a wave of pumped storage projects in Germany to supply growing towns and industries. It has since become vital infrastructure for managing energy needs across Baden-Württemberg.
The Hornberg Basin takes its name from the mountain where it sits, showing how human engineering is named after the natural landscape. Today, it serves as a quiet place where visitors can observe the interplay between water, technology, and the forested surroundings that shape daily life in the region.
The basin sits about 500 meters from the Ödland Chapel and can be reached easily by walking or driving through the area. Walking paths and viewing points allow visitors to spend time outdoors, though swimming and fishing are not permitted.
A planned project called the Atdorf Power Station would have created a reservoir almost a kilometer long with nine times the current capacity, but was abandoned in 2017. This shows how energy plans and priorities shift over time in the region.
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