{{Infobox dam , name = Teufelsteich , name_official = , image = Teufelsteich 181849.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = The Teufelsteich , image_alt = , location_map = , location_map_size = , location_map_caption = , coordinates = {{coord, 51.62111, 11.11889, region:DE-ST_type:landmark, display=inline,title , location = Harz district,

Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making it the ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

, status = , construction_began = 1696/97 , opening = , demolished = , cost = , owner = , dam_type = , dam_height = , dam_height_thalweg = {{convert, 18.3, m, abbr=on , dam_height_foundation= {{convert, 20.3, m, abbr=on , dam_length = {{convert, 211, m, abbr=on , dam_width_crest = {{convert, 7, m, abbr=on , dam_width_base = , dam_volume = {{convert, 77,500, m³, abbr=on , dam_elevation_crest = {{convert, 397.15, m, abbr=on , dam_crosses = ''Teufelsgrundbach'' , spillway_count = , spillway_type = , spillway_capacity = , res_name = , res_capacity_total = {{convert, 0.80, e6m3, abbr=on , res_capacity_active = {{convert, 0.76, e6m3, abbr=on , res_capacity_inactive= , res_catchment = {{convert, 3.2, km², abbr=on , res_surface = {{convert, 19, ha, abbr=on , res_elevation = {{convert, 395.50, m, abbr=on , res_max_depth = , res_max_length = , res_max_width = , res_tidal_range = , plant_operator = , plant_commission = , plant_decommission = , plant_hydraulic_head = , plant_turbines = , plant_capacity = , website = , extra = The Teufelsteich was one of the oldest reservoirs in the

Harz Mountains The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German w ...

of central Germany. It was built in 1697 near

Harzgerode Harzgerode is a town in the district of Harz in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Geography Harzgerode lies in the lower eastern part of the Harz mountain range on the Selke River, south of Quedlinburg. It is connected to Gernrode and Quedlinburg via A ...

and

Quedlinburg Quedlinburg () is a town situated just north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. As an influential and prosperous trading centre during the early Middle Ages, Quedlinburg became a center of in ...

(in the present state of

) for mining purposes. In 1837/38 it was raised to support silver mining. The Teufelsteich was first linked to the

Lower Harz Pond and Ditch System Within the Lower Harz region (in the counties of Harz and Mansfeld-Südharz in central Germany) are still many traces of the historical water management facilities used by the mining industry. In addition to water-carrying ditches and ponds, there ...

in 1903/04. The ''Kochsgraben'' was extended for the last time and it now ended in the catchment area of the Teufelsteich, the ''Siebengrund'' bottom. This extension was called the Siebengründer Graben; at the same time the section to Neudorf was drained dry. The Teufelsteich was now supplied with water from the

Lude stream The Lude is an long stream of Saxony-Anhalt, in the Harz Mountains of central Germany. It is the strongest and – besides an affluent of itself – longest headwater of the Thyra and therefore hydrographically defined as its upper course. Cou ...

and the Rödelbachgraben along with the nearby mining ponds of the Fürstenteich and the ''Silberhütter Pochwerksteich''. In 1947 the pond was used for the first time to supply drinking water. In 1985 the embankment had to be completely replaced. To do this a new dam was built 30 m below the old one and the old dam removed. The new, higher dam consists of a shale body with a clay core in the centre. The retaining capacity of the new dam is around 203,000 m³ greater. The reservoir now has new facilities such as a

spillway A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam or levee, typically into the riverbed of the dammed river itself. In the United Kingdom, they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways ensure t ...

, a bottom outlet, a glory hole spillway (''Entnahmeturm'') with service jetty, a valve house and a pump station. The impounded stream is the ''Teufelsgrundbach''.

Sources

* Talsperren in Sachsen-Anhalt, Autorenkollegium, Hrsg.: Talsperrenmeisterei des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt, 1994 Buildings and structures completed in 1697 Lower Harz Pond and Ditch System Reservoirs in Saxony-Anhalt RTeufelsteich 1697 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire

See also

Sources