Drachensee, reservoir in Furth im Wald, Germany

Drachensee is a flood retention reservoir on the Chamb river, impounded by a 20-metre-high dam just northeast of Furth im Wald's centre. At normal level (405 m above sea level) it holds 2.3 million m³ and covers 88 hectares; during floods it can store an additional 4 million m³. A chain of artificial islands linked by a floating boardwalk separates a leisure lake from an ecological zone, and a small hydropower plant with a 115 kW turbine sits in the dam.

The reservoir was created to store water and protect the region from flooding. The site became accessible to the public in 2009 and has since combined its original function with use as a recreation and nature conservation area.

The reservoir was named Drachensee after the Further Drachenstich, the dragon play performed in Furth im Wald; the name was given at its inauguration on 29 May 2009. The play is a long-standing local tradition that gives the lake its dragon association.

The dam stands about two kilometres northeast of Furth im Wald's centre, at the southern foot of the 639-metre Dieberg. A chain of artificial islands linked by a floating boardwalk separates the leisure lake from the ecological zone. The dam is 20 metres high, 11 of them above the valley floor, and carries the road across the Chamb.

Migratory birds use the lake as an important stopover on their migration routes, especially during spring and autumn transitions. Visitors can observe various bird species in their natural habitat from special observation points and learn more about their behaviors.