Amselsee, reservoir

Amselsee is a small reservoir near Rathen created in 1934 when a dam was built on the Grünbach stream and now serves as a recreation area. The lake stretches about 1.1 kilometers around its perimeter, is ringed by rock formations, and can be explored on foot or by rental rowboat and pedal boat.

The first plans for the reservoir were drawn up in the late 1920s, driven by Rathen's municipal administration, which wanted flood protection, firefighting water and fish farming as well as more visitors. After disputes between conservationists and tourism representatives, work began on 21 July 1934; the dam was completed on 19 December 1934 at a cost of just under 31,000 Reichsmark. A cloudburst on 5 July 1957 damaged the dam wall and partly silted up the lake, and round trips by boat have been possible since 1969.

The name Amselsee refers to the Amsel, German for blackbird, after the Amselgrund valley and its stream, the Amselgrundbach. The reservoir is stocked with trout, partly mixed with American rainbow trout, and angling and fish breeding continue. Along the banks, broad-winged damselflies (demoiselles) can be seen in the waterside vegetation.

A walk around the lake takes about 20 minutes along an easy path beside the water. Boat rentals are available from April through October, with rowboats and pedal boats available depending on weather conditions.

The reservoir is fed by the Grünbach, also called Amselgrundbach, and its trout stock is partly mixed with American rainbow trout. Along the banks, broad-winged damselflies can be spotted in the waterside vegetation. The dam itself is a straight gravity wall of rubble stone masonry, 35 metres long, with a flood spillway of seven openings, each two metres wide.