<p>The Free State of Saxony can look back on a diverse technical history, in which the development of reservoir management played a significant role. The construction of a water management system began 500 years ago at the beginning of the modern era in order to make ore mining more effective. The aim was to provide energy for water wheels, which were used to convey and process ore and pump out mine water. With industrialization in the 19^th century and the associated demand for drinking water and energy, further expansion took place - with dams based on the Intze principle and thus with an engineering approach. Even today, the dams, some of which are centuries old, make an important contribution to the water supply as a technical monument.</p>