Izhyevsk impresses visitors with its wide pond, which is often mistakenly taken for a natural lake. In fact, this is an artificial reservoir, and the local dam is one of the oldest hydrotechnical structures in Russia. It was necessary for the construction of the arms factory, as engineers planned to use water to power some of the machinery.

Work on the dam began in 1760. It was necessary to cut down forests, drain the surrounding area, and strengthen the banks. As a result, the dam reached a length of 570 meters and a height of almost 9 meters, while the reservoir spread over 20 square kilometers. Below the dam, several production buildings were constructed, each with 10 water wheels. One of them, due to its strength, was nicknamed the Devil's Wheel and operated longer than the others until steam engines appeared.

However, in the summer of 1774, all efforts could have been in vain. On June 27, the troops of Yemelyan Pugachev captured the Izhyevsk factory. The pretender stayed here for two days, accepting complaints from workers, issued an order for the execution of the management, and commanded the destruction of the dam. Fortunately, his men did not manage to complete the demolition work due to the approach of government troops, and they had to leave the city. If the rebels had succeeded, the factory and nearby streets would have been flooded. The pond also played an important role in Izhyevsk's trade. In the early 20th century, merchant Ivan Bodalev bred sturgeon, sterlet, carp, zander, and chub here for sale.

At the bottom of the pond lie interesting 'artifacts': the sunken steamboat 'Izh' and a gilded two-headed eagle, thrown by the Bolsheviks in 1918 from the tower of the arms factory. This relic still attracts treasure hunters. In 1995, the dam, as one of the oldest hydrotechnical structures in Russia, was recognized as a monument of history and culture of federal significance.