Kozłowa Góra Reservoir

Between Tarnowskie Góry and Piekary Śląskie the Brynica river unexpectedly spreads into a broad body of water whose shores link Świerklaniec, Kozłowa Góra and Wymysłów. The Kozłowa Góra Reservoir, also known as Lake Świerklanieckie, was not created for recreation — its history and present role are far more interesting.

Armament and drinking water

The dam reservoir was built in 1933–1939 on the territory of the former Russian-Prussian borderland and served military purposes — the defensive plans of those years are still recalled by the preserved bunkers of the fortified area of “Śląsk”. From the south the basin is closed by a concrete dam, from the west by an earth-and-concrete embankment, while the northern and eastern shores have remained natural: in the north the Brynica flows in, forming reed beds, and in the east wet meadows stretch out. At the turn of the 1940s and 1950s, when Upper Silesia began to suffer water shortages, the reservoir was converted into a drinking-water reserve with its own treatment plant.

A bird haven, not a beach

Shallow water, reeds and wet meadows have made the reservoir one of the most important waterbird refuges in the agglomeration. It hosts nesting bitterns, whiskered terns and little ringed plovers — species listed in the Polish Red Book. That is why the water is not suitable for swimming, and the site serves mainly for nature observation and walks along the shores.

In practice

The area is open free of charge around the clock, all year round, with a car park on Brynicka Street in Wymysłów. From the park in Świerklaniec it is only a 0.6 km walk. One trip can combine the reservoir with the Świerklaniec park, and further destinations include Lake Nakło-Chechło (4.7 km), Księża Góra in Radzionków (4.8 km) and the Silver Mine in Tarnowskie Góry (8.1 km).