Cottbuser Ostsee

The Cottbuser Ostsee is an artificial lake under development in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the site of the former Tagebau Cottbus Nord lignite mine. Once completed, it will cover a surface area of 19 km² (7.3 sq mi), making it one of the largest artificial lakes in Germany. The lake will have a maximum depth of 30 meters (100 ft) and an average depth of 2.5 to 3 meters (8 ft 2 in to 10 ft), with a total water volume of 0.150 cubic kilometers (0.036 cu mi). For comparison, Germany's largest artificial lake by surface area, Geiseltalsee, covers 1,840 hectares (4,500 acres) but holds nearly three times more water at 0.423 cubic kilometers (0.101 cu mi). Lake Constance, Germany's largest natural lake, spans 536 km² (207 sq mi) with a depth of up to 251 meters (823 ft) and contains 48 cubic kilometers (12 cu mi) of water. The largest reservoir in Germany by surface area is Forggensee, covering 15.2 km² (5.9 sq mi), though its water volume reduces significantly in winter. The lake was created from the Tagebau Cottbus Nord mine, which operated from 1981 to 2015 and produced 220 megatonnes of lignite coal. Flooding began in 2019 but faced interruptions due to low water levels in the Spree River. The Cottbuser Ostsee will become part of the Lusatian Lake District, a series of artificial lakes formed from former lignite mines. The name "Cottbuser Ostsee" refers to its location east of central Cottbus and doubles as a pun ...