The hydropower from the stored water has been used since the end of 2013 to a small extent to generate electricity, especially to light the circular walk around the lake in winter.

[2] This major tourist project was initiated in the early 1970s by the head of the county council of St. Wendel, Werner Zeyer, who later became the minister president of the Saarland.

In addition, the new waterbody was intended to extend the local recreation facilities and improve the ecology.

The lake has a surface area of 120 ha (1.2 km2), a volume of 8 million m3 and maximum depth of 18 metres.

The lakeside villages are Bosen, Eckelhausen, Gonnesweiler and Neunkirchen/Nahe, and the Bostalsee Leisure Centre is run by the county.