 The lake is located on the border of Lower and Upper Lusatia between the southern Brandenburg city of Senftenberg and its districts Niemtsch and Großkoschen.Lake Senftenberg is one of the largest artificial lakes in Germany with an area of 1300 hectares.The lake was created by the flooding of the former opencast lignite mine of Niemtsch by the Black Elster from 15 November 1967 to November 1972.