# Wendefurth Dam

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Dam in Harz

Wendefurth Dam Interactive map of Wendefurth Dam Country Germany Location Harz Coordinates 51°44′19″N 10°54′46″E / 51.73861°N 10.91278°E / 51.73861; 10.91278 Construction began 1957 Opening date 1966 Dam and spillways Height 43.5 m (143 ft) Length 230 m (250 yd) Width (crest) 3 m (9.8 ft) Dam volume 115,000 m3 (93 acre⋅ft) Spillway capacity 191.7 m3/s (6,770 cu ft/s) Reservoir Total capacity 9,220,000 m3 (7,470 acre⋅ft) Catchment area 309.20 km2 (119.38 sq mi) Surface area 78 ha (190 acres)

The **Wendefurth Dam** ([German](/source/German_language): *Talsperre Wendefurth*) near [Wendefurth](/source/Wendefurth) in the [Harz](/source/Harz_mountains), Germany, is one of the dams downstream of the [Rappbode Dam](/source/Rappbode_Dam), that provides [flood protection](/source/Flood_protection) as well as impounding the [River Bode](/source/River_Bode) to provide the [lower reservoir](/source/Pumped-storage_hydroelectricity) for the [Wendefurth Power Station](/source/Wendefurth_Power_Station). In addition it is a bathing [lake](/source/Lake) and also supports [fish farming](/source/Fish_farming).

## Dam wall

The actual [dam](/source/Dam) is a 43.5 m (143 ft) high [gravity dam](/source/Gravity_dam) made of 16 segments that is 30 m (98 ft) above the valley floor and 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide at the crest. The individual segments of the dam are sealed on the upstream side with [copper](/source/Copper) sheets set into the [concrete](/source/Concrete). In addition the joints are sealed with [tar](/source/Tar) and [hemp](/source/Hemp). The [flexure](/source/Flexure) of the individual segments under water pressure is constantly monitored. By means of [pendulums](/source/Pendulum) suspended on the dam wall the degree of flex can be measures. The movement of segments relative to one another is also under constant observation. The wall has several galleries for inspection purposes. Two bottom outlets have been installed at the base. The huge [annular piston valves](/source/Annular_piston_valve) can deliver up to 75 m3/s (2,600 cu ft/s) of water. It is currently being investigated whether the water outflow can be used for energy purposes.

The bedrock consists of [manganese](/source/Manganese) [slate](/source/Slate) that is not particularly watertight. So that the dam wall is not lifted up from underneath by water pressure at the base, the pressure at the foot is relieved by over 40 bubble caps (*Glocken*) with drainage pipes (*Steigleitungen*). The building water pressure is measured at intervals. By means of the observation well, the long term condition of the mountain is investigated.

View from the adjacent dam wall of the Rappbode Dam.

The operator, the Saxony-Anhalt Dam Company (*Talsperrenbetrieb Sachsen-Anhalt*), has made the Wendefurth Dam accessible to visitors. In an adjacent engineering park, old dam components are given a final use.

There is a good viewing point over the dam and reservoir at *Talsperrenblick* on the hillside beyond the eastern end of the reservoir, accessible on footpaths from Wendefurth. It is checkpoint 62 in the [Harzer Wandernadel](/source/Harzer_Wandernadel) hiking system.

## See also

- [List of dams in the Harz](/source/List_of_dams_in_the_Harz)

- [List of reservoirs and dams in Germany](/source/List_of_reservoirs_and_dams_in_Germany)

## Sources

- *Talsperren in Sachsen-Anhalt.* Talsperrenmeisterei des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt, 1994

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Talsperre Wendefurth](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Talsperre_Wendefurth).

- [Wendefurth Dam at en.structurae.de](http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0020856) (in English)

- [Saxony-Anhalt Dam Company](http://www.talsperren-lsa.de/) (in German)

- [Wendefurth Dam](http://www.mu.sachsen-anhalt.de/start/fachbereich02/wassertechnik/talsperrenwasser/talsperren/wendefurth.htm) (in German)

Authority control databases International VIAF GND Geographic Structurae

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wendefurth Dam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendefurth_Dam) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendefurth_Dam?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.