, ▁the ▁project ▁got ▁under ▁way ▁again ▁and ▁was ▁extended ▁by ▁including ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁drink ing ▁water , ▁the ▁original ▁layout ▁being ▁retained ▁and ▁the ▁technology ▁being ▁adapted . ▁The ▁foundation ▁stone ▁was ▁laid ▁on ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁and , ▁on ▁ 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁the ▁dam ▁went ▁into ▁service . ▁It ▁was ▁re construct ed ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁and ▁the ▁national ▁em blem s ▁of ▁East ▁Germany ▁on ▁the ▁ins cri ptions ▁at ▁the ▁tunnel ▁exit ▁of ▁the ▁road ▁across ▁the ▁dam ▁were ▁removed . ▁The ▁two ▁ins cri ptions ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁right ▁read : ▁ ▁Main ▁dam ▁ ▁The ▁bar rier ▁is ▁a ▁straight ▁gravity ▁dam , ▁which ▁holds ▁the ▁water ▁back ▁by ▁its ▁she er ▁weight . ▁It ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁several ▁sections ▁and ▁finished ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁It ▁is ▁ ▁high ▁and ▁ ▁long . ▁In ▁recent ▁years ▁( before ▁ 2 0 0 2 ) ▁the ▁cr est ▁of ▁the ▁dam ▁was ▁renew ed . ▁The ▁road way ▁and ▁the ▁concrete ▁had ▁weather ed ▁and ▁could ▁no ▁longer ▁handle ▁the ▁weight ▁of ▁traffic . ▁The ▁lake ▁behind ▁the ▁dam ▁acts ▁primarily ▁as ▁a ▁reserve ▁drink ing ▁water ▁res er voir ▁for ▁the ▁towns ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Har z . ▁The ▁pressure ▁pip es ▁go ▁to ▁A sch ers leben , ▁Hal ber stadt , ▁Bern burg ▁( Sa ale ),