In 1975, brown coal mining began in the area of today's Werbeliner See. As a result, the towns of Kattersnaundorf, Grabschütz and Werbelin (formerly Rundling) had to make way. There is a memorial stone at the former Werbelin site. The coal was transported on a specially built railway line to Bitterfeld and from there to the energy production and chemical industries. Werbeliner See emerged from the main remaining pit of the Delitzsch-Südwest opencast mine, which was closed in 1993, and was flooded from the Neue Luppe between 1998 and 2010. In March 2004, according to the LMBV, it was 87 percent full. The area is being recultivated.
Hiking and cycling trails have been created, which can also be used with inline skates and extend to the nearby Zwochauer See and Grabschützer See as well as the Schladitzer See, which is about 2 kilometers away. The 120 km long cycle path from Lutherstadt Wittenberg to Markkleeberg "Coal-Steam-Light" leads past the lake.
There is also a nature trail with information boards. In February 2007, the overflow channel (Brodauer Ableiter) was built, which flows into the Lober stream between Zschortau and Brodau. The lake has been a European bird sanctuary since 2006. In May 2019, the Werbeliner See nature reserve was designated with the aim of preserving the outstanding biodiversity in the long term.