The Dill area was repeatedly hit by devastating floods. B. in the last century in February 1909, January 1918, November 1940, February 1946 and most recently in February 1984. The flood of February 1946 was used as an opportunity to have the "General Plan of the Lahn Association" drawn up by the Dillenburg Water Management Office in 1951, which deals with flood protection should regulate the entire Lahn area including the dill area. Since it was not possible to found a large Lahn association, smaller associations were subsequently founded in the Lahn catchment area, including the "Dillgebiet" water association in 1972.
The final trigger for the construction of the Aartalsperre was the flood in February 1984, which caused particularly devastating floods in the city of Herborn and caused damage in the entire Dill and Lahn area in the order of (at that time) 160 million DM.
After a construction period of approx. 6 years and a successful test damming, the system was approved under water law on March 10, 1992 by the dam supervision at the RP Gießen on the recommendation of the dam committee.