Rybnik Reservoir

Rybnik Reservoir (Zalew Rybnicki), which locals call the "Rybnik Sea", is a dammed lake on the Ruda river in the northern part of Rybnik, built for the Rybnik power station. For half a century it was famous for its warm water, which did not freeze in winter and gave sailors the longest season in Poland. Today it is going through a period of change: the power station no longer heats it, and in 2025 a catfish 292 cm long was landed here.

History: a lake for a power station

The reservoir was completed in December 1971 as a companion project to the coal-fired power station, which began generating electricity in 1972. It was created by damming the Ruda in the Stodoły district, flooding parts of Rybnicka Kuźnia, Orzepowice, Chwałęcice and Stodoły. It covers more than 4.5 km² and holds about 22 million m³ of water; besides cooling, it also serves as flood protection. Water from the lake cooled the turbines and returned to it warmed up, so for decades the temperature did not drop below 15°C between April and October, and the surface did not freeze.

What to see: bays, the "steering wall" and chimneys

The lake has four side bays separated by causeways: Pniowiec, Gzel and Zalew Orzepowicki along regional road 902, and Grabownia behind a railway embankment. Along the eastern shore runs a three-and-a-half-kilometre embankment known as the kierownica ("steering wall") – it forms a channel that carried cooler water from the dam back to the power station. Sailing clubs such as Yacht Club Rybnik and TKŻ Kabestan, a scout water base, recreation centres and cafés line the shores. White sails against the power-station chimneys are one of Rybnik's most characteristic views.

Did you know: the end of the "warm sea" and record catfish

On 31 December 2023, after 50 years in service, the oldest power units nos. 3 and 4 were shut down; units 1 and 2 had already stopped in 2021. These four units were the ones cooled with water from the reservoir. The newer units from 1978 use water that no longer flows into the lake, so the "Rybnik Sea" is no longer heated. The effect was immediate: in winter 2024, as the city newspaper Gazeta Rybnicka reported, the entire reservoir froze over for the first time in its history.

For years the warm water favoured fish. Polish records were set here for catfish (2018, 102 kg) and carp (2007, 30.2 kg), and during a competition on 18–19 October 2025 anglers landed a catfish 292 cm long, announced as a national and world record. After being measured, the fish was released.

Tripto tips

• Access: the shores are open to the public and free. The easiest way in is via ul. Rudzka from central Rybnik or via ul. Podmiejska on the power-station side.
• Sailing: the season now depends more on the weather than on the power station; ask the local sailing clubs about trips and courses.
• Fishing: the reservoir is a special fishing ground – check the rules with the operator before you come, as fishing here is restricted.
• Time needed: allow 2–3 hours for a walk or bike ride along the shore; in winter it is worth checking whether the lake has frozen again, but do not walk on the ice.