Lake Senftenberg (, formerly called ''Speicherbecken Niemtsch''—Niemtsch reservoir, , ) is an artificial lake in Landkreis Oberspreewald-Lausitz,

Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. It is located in the

Lusatian Lake District The Lusatian Lake District (, , ) is a chain of artificial lakes under construction in Germany across the north-eastern part of Saxony and the southern part of Brandenburg. Through flooding as a part of an extensive regeneration programme, sever ...

, a chain of artificial lakes. The lake is located on the border of

Lower Lower may refer to: * ''Lower'' (album), 2025 album by Benjamin Booker *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Lower Wick is a small hamlet located in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is sit ...

and

Upper Lusatia Upper Lusatia (, ; , ; ; or ''Milsko''; ) is a historical region in Germany and Poland. Along with Lower Lusatia to the north, it makes up the region of Lusatia, named after the Polabian Slavs, Slavic ''Lusici'' tribe. Both parts of Lusatia a ...

between the southern Brandenburg city of

Senftenberg Senftenberg ( German, ) or (Lower Sorbian, ) is a town in Lower Lusatia, Brandenburg, in eastern Germany, capital of the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district. Geography Senftenberg is located in the southwest of the historic Lower Lusatia region at t ...

and its districts Niemtsch and Großkoschen. Lake Senftenberg is one of the largest artificial lakes in Germany with an area of 1300 hectares (5 sq. mi.).

History

The lake was created by the flooding of the former opencast

lignite Lignite (derived from Latin ''lignum'' meaning 'wood'), often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35% and is considered the lowest ...

mine of Niemtsch by the

Black Elster The Black Elster or Schwarze Elster ( German, ; ; ) is a long river in eastern Germany, in the states of Saxony, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. It is a right tributary of the Elbe. Its source is in the Upper Lusatia region, near Elstra. The Blac ...

from 15 November 1967 to November 1972. The flooding rate was initially at up to . To shorten the filling time, another flood channel was opened away from the first channel in May 1968. Melt water and rain water meant that the flooding rate increased to up to .Information sign on Lake Senftenberg at the former flood channel Since the commissioning of the first beach section in 1973, the lake has enjoyed great popularity as a recreational area with holidaymakers, bathers, surfers and sailors. Of a total of of shoreline, are considered to be beaches. There are three official

naturist Naturism is a lifestyle of practicing non-sexual social nudity in private and in public; the word also refers to the cultural movement which advocates and defends that lifestyle. Both may alternatively be called nudism. Though the two terms a ...

beaches on the lake; on the north shore of the lake, at the campsite west of Großkoschen and at the "Südsee" between Peickwitz and Niemtsch. After 1990, embankments were built on large sections, because the variable water level threatened to cause large parts of the lake edge to collapse. The depth of the lake was initially , but more recent measurements have found no points deeper than . Niederlausitz Senftenberg 07-2015 img5 Stadthafen

Niederlausitz Senftenberg 07-2015 img5 Stadthafen

From December 2010 to April 2013, a town harbour was built in Senftenberg. It was opened on 23 April 2013. It created a marina with over 100 boat moorings, an floating pier and a harbour building. The construction costs amounted to €13 million.

Notes

References

* (Cottbuser Studien zur Geschichte von Technik, Arbeit und Umwelt, 19, historical planning perspective). * (Festschrift for Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Bálint Balla on his 75th birthday) * * * *

External links

Senftenberger See
{{Authority control Lake Senftenberg

Oberspreewald-Lausitz Senftenberg Nude beaches