Hassel Auxiliary Dam

The Hassel Auxiliary Dam or Hassel Dam^[1] (German: Hasselvorsperre or Vorsperre Hassel) is an auxiliary dam or pre-dam on the Rappbode Reservoir in the Harz mountains of central Germany. It is located near Hasselfelde in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and impounds the waters of the Hassel, the eastern of the two headwaters of the Rappbode Reservoir. Together with its auxiliary dams, the reservoir supplies drinking water and is owned by the Saxony-Anhalt Dam Company (Talsperrenbetrieb Sachsen-Anhalt). The purpose of the auxiliary dam is to pre-clean water mechanically and biologically before it flows into the main reservoir.

Hassel Auxiliary Dam
gravity dam
Location of Hassel Auxiliary Dam in Germany
Country	Germany
Location	Harz
Coordinates	51.7061°N 10.8303°E / 51.7061; 10.8303
Construction began	1956
Opening date	1960
Dam and spillways
Height	21 m
Length	141.3 m
Width (crest)	2.5 m
Dam volume	14,000 m³
Reservoir
Total capacity	1.64 million m³
Catchment area	44.1 km²
Surface area	25 ha

In the auxiliary dam, the water settles, allowing impurities to settle. Water can be drawn from various heights through openings in the wall with gate valves and diverted to the reservoir.

The barrier itself is a 21 m high gravity dam. The bedrock consists mostly of grauwacke, but with some thinly laminated argillaceous shale as well.

There is a circular path around the Hassel Auxiliary Dam. The crest of the dam is accessible to pedestrians and the lake may be fished provided permission is obtained.

The Hassel Auxiliary Dam is checkpoint no. 53 in the Harzer Wandernadel hiking trail network.

See also

• List of reservoirs and dams in Germany
• Dams in the Harz