Oder Dam

The Odertalsperre is a dam in the Harz. It is located above Bad Loud Mountain in the district of Osterode am Harz in Lower Saxony and dammed the river Oder. The dam was put into operation after three years of construction in 1934. Owner and operator of Odertalsperre are the Harzwasserwerke.

Purpose

The dam serves the following purposes:

• Flood protection
• Low water levels
• Power generation

This is partly to conflicting functions. For flood protection is an empty pool of water as possible, desirable for the low water levels a relatively full reservoir. Accordingly, there is for water management a business plan, which is dependent on the seasons and the expected quantities of water, such as snow melt after winter, summer drought.

Dam

The shut-off is a dam of rockfill material (gravel ) with a central concrete core and a sealing layer of clay. The concrete wall has gaps, the deformations of the entire dam follow, without leaking. The design corresponds in many respects the recently built Söse reservoir lake.

Pumped storage power plant

The reservoir of the dam was originally the upper reservoir of the pumped storage power plant. Just below the dam there is an underwater tank with a 7.5 m high earth dam, which served as a balancing reservoir. The power station is also located at the foot of the dam. It has two turbines with a total capacity of 5.04 MW (possibly 6.2 MW ). On the pumping operation is omitted since the early 1990s because he no longer economically represented. The power plant will still operate as a storage power plant with a Francis turbine.

Tourist

There are many water sports ( fishing, sailing, surfing). At the reservoir, there is a restaurant and a campground.

Fish fauna

The Odertalsperre is primarily a salmonid stream with rainbow and brown trout. In addition, pike, walleye, perch, eels, carp, tench and whitefish occur. In addition, many species of white fish.