Rybnik Reservoir

Rybnik Reservoir (Jezioro Rybnickie) is an artificial dam reservoir on the Ruda river, with an area of 4.5 km² and a capacity of 22 million m³ of water. It was created to serve the Rybnik Power Station and to this day it serves sailors, anglers and people looking for water in the middle of an urban area.

How the lake came about

The reservoir was created by damming the waters of the Ruda with a dam in the Stodoły district. It occupies the areas of several districts of Rybnik: Rybnicka Kuźnia, Orzepowice, Chwałęcice and Stodoły. At the normal impoundment level (221.00 m above sea level) the volume is about 22.1 million m³.

The lake has four bays, called side lagoons, separated from the main part by embankments: Pniowiec, Gzel, the Orzepowice Lagoon and Grabownia. Along the eastern shore runs a three-and-a-half-kilometre embankment called the “kierownica” (guide wall), which forms a recirculation channel for the water cooling the power station.

Sails, fish and water

Several sailing clubs operate on the reservoir, and there is a scout base, recreation centres and cafés. The sailing season lasts from April to October and is considered the longest in Poland. For many years the water was heated by the power station. At the end of 2023 the oldest units, which used the lake for cooling, were shut down, so the water temperature has dropped.

The reservoir is stocked with fish and is famous among anglers for large fish. Several Polish records have been recorded in its waters, including for catfish and carp.

Nearby

Nearby lies the Rybnik Power Station, for which the reservoir was built. About 5 km from the lake, in the town centre, are the Museum in Rybnik and the former castle, now the District Court. In Rudy, about 6.5 km from the lake, you will find the Historic Narrow-Gauge Railway Station.

Practical information

• Location: the Rybnik districts of Rybnicka Kuźnia, Orzepowice, Chwałęcice and Stodoły. The side lagoons are separated from the main expanse by the embankments of provincial road no. 902 and a railway line.
• Access to the water is provided by the sailing clubs and the centres on the shore. The rules for swimming, equipment hire and angling are set by their managers and by the owner of the reservoir, so check them before your visit.