Niedów Reservoir

Niedów Reservoir, also known as Lake Witka, is a large artificial reservoir on the river Witka by the German border, in Zgorzelec county. It was built as a technological reservoir for the nearby Turów Power Station, but for decades has also served as a popular spot for time by the water for residents of Zgorzelec and Bogatynia.

Origin of the name

The reservoir was built between 1958 and 1962 on the river Witka to provide cooling water for the Turów Power Station. Besides its technological role, it also serves retention and recreational functions. Its area is about 175.9 hectares, its length reaches 4 kilometres, and its maximum width is about 0.7 kilometres. By the dam the depth reaches 12 metres. On 7 August 2010, after extreme rainfall, the dam was breached - a wall of water flooded nearby towns along the Bogatynia-Zgorzelec route, as well as Zgorzelec itself and the German town of Görlitz on the other side of the border. The dam was rebuilt from June 2014 to August 2016, and the reservoir's capacity was increased by 3.7 million cubic metres after the works. A small hydroelectric power station with a capacity of about 0.82 MW operates below the dam.

By the water

Before the 2010 disaster, the reservoir was a popular recreation spot - eel and pikeperch were among the fish caught here, pedalos and motorboats were used in summer, and there was a beach by the water. After the dam was rebuilt, the reservoir was refilled with water, but its current tourist infrastructure differs from what it was before the disaster. If a bathing site is designated in a given year, it is worth checking the current water status for swimming on the Bathing Site Service of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (sk.gis.gov.pl).

Nearby

Closest to the reservoir, in the same village, is the Rural Agricultural Museum with a display of old farming tools and equipment. A few kilometres further stands the historic palace in Radomierzyce, and in Zawidów the Public Library operates.

Practical information

• Access: Niedów lies on the road linking Zgorzelec with Bogatynia, close to the German border.
• Parking: possible around the reservoir; the exact location of parking spots is not confirmed.
• Seasonality: the extent of the available tourist infrastructure after the dam's reconstruction changes from year to year, so it is worth checking the current status before setting off.