Lower Großhartmannsdorfer pond

The lower Großhartmannsdorfer pond accounts for the oldest of its kind within the Freiberg mining district. With the construction of the Müdisdorfer manmade ditch, which induced water from Großhartmannsdorf, an acquisition of the lower Großhartmannsdorfer pond became attractive. Until then the pond was used for mill operation and fish farming and was considered to be used as a water storage for mining. A first pond building on the dam crest was erected in 1692. The building was home to the leat foreman who supervised manmade ditches, leats and ponds under the electorate adit and leat administration from 1684. The dam crest measures 494 m in length and 17 m in width. In 1936 and 1937 the manmade ditch sluices were redesigned and a turbine with sluice was installed for power generation to be used by the pond building and the workshops of the mining water management agency. Further, a dam way was established for motor vehicle traffic. Since 1967 the water body is integral part of nature reserve and accounts for an important breeding territory for several bird species.