Hochwasserrückhaltebecken Hölltal

The Hölltal detention basin is a water storage facility in the Brenz valley that collects and holds water during heavy rainfall to prevent flooding. It takes advantage of the natural valley formation to serve its protective purpose for downstream communities.

This water retention facility was built in 1958 to provide flood protection for residential areas in the Giengen municipality. It was designed to handle water overflow and release it gradually during heavy rainfall events.

The name derives from the German word 'Hölle', referring to the deep gorge formation where the structure stands near the Höllbach stream.

The basin can be reached on foot as it sits in an easily accessible valley area. It is best visited during dry periods when you can observe the structure of the facility clearly without water covering the ground.

The stream feeding the basin does not flow year-round but only after heavy rain, making the water system intermittent and seasonal. This combination of underground and surface water creates an interesting geological pattern in the valley.