Medium-sized drinking water reservoirs in wooded surroundings in the Märkisch district
The Versetalsperre is located in the Märkischer Kreis district south-east of Lüdenscheid on the north-west flank of the Ebbegebirge mountains. A little further south, above the Versetalsperre, there is another Ruhrverband dam, the Fürwiggetalsperre.
In addition to the main basin, which is closed off by a rockfill dam, the Versetalsperre also has a reservoir that is dammed by a dam. The water flowing out of the dam is mainly released by a power station at the foot of the Verse dam. The Fürwigge dam, on the other hand, is dammed by a gravity wall made of quarry stones.
Climatically, the Verse catchment area is characterised by high annual precipitation. The average amount of precipitation is around 1,200 millimetres per year.
In addition to securing the water supply for the Ruhr region in conjunction with other dams, such as the Bigge and Möhne dams, the dams also directly supply water to the surrounding communities. In 1987, the reservoirs were declared a water protection zone so that possible contamination of the water body can be excluded as far as possible. In this protection zone, use for leisure and recreational purposes is subject to extensive restrictions.
Tasks and function
During our tours, you will learn interesting facts about the construction, water supply and operation of our dams.
The neighbouring area has been declared a water protection zone so that possible contamination of the drinking water reservoirs can be ruled out as far as possible. In this protection zone, use for leisure and recreational purposes is subject to extensive restrictions.
Sport & Leisure
Southeast of Lüdenscheid, in the Märkischer Kreis district, lies the Versesee lake with a water surface area of 170 hectares. At approx. 2.5 km in length, it is one of the smaller lakes and is used for drinking water production.
The Versesee is up to 500 metres wide and reaches a maximum water depth of 52 metres.
You can find more detailed information about fishing on the Versesee on our fishing website.
As drinking water reservoirs, the Verse and Fürwigge dams are not authorised for water sports.
As drinking water reservoirs, the Verse and Fürwigge dams are not authorised for water sports.
As drinking water reservoirs, the Verse and Fürwigge dams are not authorised for water sports.
As drinking water reservoirs, the Verse and Fürwigge dams are not authorised for water sports.
As drinking water reservoirs, the Verse and Fürwigge dams are not authorised for water sports.
History
History
The Fürwigge dam was built between 1902 and 1904 according to the Intze principle in order to dam up five streams, including the Verse and Fürwigge rivers. With a capacity of only around 1.7 million cubic metres, it is one of the smaller dams in the Sauerland region and was known as the Verse Dam in the first few years of its existence.
The ever-increasing demand for water in the Ruhr region made it necessary to build more dams, so in 1929 the Ruhr Dam Association decided to construct a second dam in Versetal.
For this purpose, a preliminary dam was first constructed near the village of Steinbach, which went into operation in 1933. Work on the main dam was postponed due to the global economic crisis and only started in 1938. The start of the Second World War interrupted construction work a year later, which was resumed during the course of the war.
In 1940, the Secret State Police, in collaboration with the Reich Trustee of Labour, set up the first labour education camp of the Nazi era guarded by police forces in the existing construction barracks in Hunswinkel. A total of around 5,000 people from Germany and eight other European countries were housed here until 1945. The prisoners worked for Hochtief, a company commissioned by the Ruhrtalsperrenverein to build the Verse dam. Around 550 prisoners died of starvation, maltreatment and shooting.
After a further interruption in work at the end of the war, the dam was built again at the end of the 1940s and dammed in 1951. With the damming, the Hunswinkel camp disappeared under the masses of water. Today, a memorial at the Klam Bridge commemorates the victims. The "old" Verse Dam was renamed Fürwigge Dam so that this new, larger dam could be given the name Verse Dam.
