Lake Altaussee
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Lake Altaussee, also known as Altausseersee, is a mountain lake located at the southwestern foot of the
Totes Gebirge The Totes Gebirge, also known in English as the Dead Mountains, is a mountain range in Austria that forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps, lying between the Salzkammergut and the Ennstaler Alpen. The name ''Totes Gebirge'' is supposedly der ...
in the
Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...
n part of the
Salzkammergut The Salzkammergut (, ; ) is a resort area in Austria, stretching from the city of Salzburg eastwards along the Alpine Foreland and the Northern Limestone Alps to the peaks of the Dachstein Mountains. The main river of the region is the Traun (r ...
. It lies at 712 m above sea level. The center of the municipality of
Altaussee Altaussee (; Central Bavarian: ''Oid Aussee'') is a municipality and spa town in the district of Liezen in Styria, Austria. The small village is nestled on the shores of the Lake Altaussee, beneath the Loser Plateau. Occupying an area of 92&n ...
is located on the western shore. The Altaussee
Traun Traun () is an Austrian municipality located on the north bank of the Traun (river), river Traun and borders Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, to the east. The name ''Traun'' is derived from the Celtic word for river (). Traun is the fifth la ...
, which flows into the
Danube The Danube ( ; see also #Names and etymology, other names) is the List of rivers of Europe#Longest rivers, second-longest river in Europe, after the Volga in Russia. It flows through Central and Southeastern Europe, from the Black Forest sou ...
via the Traun, serves as the outlet of the lake. The largely undeveloped shores and adjacent wetlands of Lake Altaussee provide habitats for numerous animal and plant species and have been under nature conservation since 1959. The Austrian Federal Forests own Lake Altaussee, which is a popular excursion destination due to its beautiful location. Every third year, the lake hosts the Daffodil Festival, Austria's largest flower festival.


Geography

The
Totes Gebirge The Totes Gebirge, also known in English as the Dead Mountains, is a mountain range in Austria that forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps, lying between the Salzkammergut and the Ennstaler Alpen. The name ''Totes Gebirge'' is supposedly der ...
surround Lake Altaussee in a horseshoe shape. The Loser (1873m above sea level ) lies to the north, with steep flanks that drop sharply to the lakeshore. To the east, the Trisselwand (1754m sea level) features a rock face that rises approximately 600 meters high. On the northeastern shore, the Seewiese marks the beginning of a trough valley that leads over the Hochklapfsattel to the plateau of the
Totes Gebirge The Totes Gebirge, also known in English as the Dead Mountains, is a mountain range in Austria that forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps, lying between the Salzkammergut and the Ennstaler Alpen. The name ''Totes Gebirge'' is supposedly der ...
. To the south, the Tressenstein (1201m above sea level) follows, while the village of
Altaussee Altaussee (; Central Bavarian: ''Oid Aussee'') is a municipality and spa town in the district of Liezen in Styria, Austria. The small village is nestled on the shores of the Lake Altaussee, beneath the Loser Plateau. Occupying an area of 92&n ...
in the hilly area of the Aussee Basin is situated to the west. The shores are rocky and steep, particularly in the north, while in other areas, they are partly pebbly, flat and largely undeveloped. The lake stretches from west-southwest to east-northeast, covering a length of 2.6 km with a maximum width of 1 km, and a surface area of around 2.1 km2. With an average depth of 35 m, the lake basin has steep slopes, except for the northeastern part, where the slope gradually decreases from approximately 40m depth, leading to a relatively large bottom zone with a maximum depth of 53m. The deepest point is a spring funnel near the north bank, which reaches a depth of 73m, while the water volume measures 72.7 million cubic meters. The lake can be reached via the Altausseerstraße L702. The lake is surrounded by a 7.4 km long circular hiking trail Uferpromenade.


Hydrology

The hydrological catchment area of Lake Altaussee encompasses a total area of 54 km2, entirely located within the
Totes Gebirge The Totes Gebirge, also known in English as the Dead Mountains, is a mountain range in Austria that forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps, lying between the Salzkammergut and the Ennstaler Alpen. The name ''Totes Gebirge'' is supposedly der ...
. The lake's primary source of water is from
karst spring A karst spring or karstic spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring (exsurgence, outflow of groundwater) that is part of a karst hydrological system. Description Because of their often conical or inverted bowl shape, karst springs are also known i ...
s located at the lake's bottom, which receive underground flow from debris and rock crevices. These springs have an average total discharge of 3750 L/s. Additionally, there are a few small spring outlets along the shores with a combined discharge of approximately 20 L/s. Lake Altaussee demonstrates typical fluctuations in discharge commonly associated with karst springs. In the northeast, there is a small dead ice hole called Lake Osterseen, which is filled by groundwater corresponding to the water level of Lake Altaussee. The Altaussee
Traun Traun () is an Austrian municipality located on the north bank of the Traun (river), river Traun and borders Linz, the capital of Upper Austria, to the east. The name ''Traun'' is derived from the Celtic word for river (). Traun is the fifth la ...
, the lake's outlet, exits in the southwest at the Seeklause, where a bridge spans the outflow. It carves its path between the rock barrier of the Plattenkogel and the
alluvial fan An alluvial fan is an accumulation of sediments that fans outwards from a concentrated source of sediments, such as a narrow canyon emerging from an escarpment. They are characteristic of mountainous terrain in arid to Semi-arid climate, semiar ...
of the Augstbach, which acts as a natural dam for the lake. Originally, the Augstbach stream flowed into Lake Altaussee 250m north of the lake outlet. However, due to the issue of saline water from the nearby salt mine repeatedly reaching the lake through this stream, the stream bed was artificially relocated before 1530. Since then, the Augstbach has been redirected to flow westward, past Lake Altaussee, and into the Traun River approximately 150m downstream from the lake outlet. After heavy and prolonged rainfalls, a hydrological karst phenomenon known as "the Liagern" can be witnessed in the Seewiese area. This event occurs due to the presence of two cave entrances situated at different elevations. During this spectacle, vast amounts of water accumulate within a cave in the middle section of the Loserwand. The resulting overpressure causes a large jet of water to shoot out of the cave portal of the Liager hole in a high arc. The process, with some interruptions, only takes about an hour, and the bulk quantities can reach 3000 L/s. The waterfall turns into a torrent in the area of the wall, which tumbles down to the lake and, together with the strong underground inflow, causes the lake level to rise by up to 60 cm within just 12 hours.


Geology


Tectonic

Lake Altaussee is a component of the
Northern Limestone Alps The Northern Limestone Alps (), also called the Northern Calcareous Alps, are the ranges of the Eastern Alps north of the Central Eastern Alps located in Austria and the adjacent Bavarian lands of southeastern Germany. The distinction from the ...
, which lies on the southwestern edge of the Totengebirge cover (Tirolic period), characterized by its abundance of Mesozoic limestones and
dolomites The Dolomites ( ), also known as the Dolomite Mountains, Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps, are a mountain range in northeastern Italy. They form part of the Southern Limestone Alps and extend from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Va ...
from the
Triassic The Triassic ( ; sometimes symbolized 🝈) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.5 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.4 Mya. The Triassic is t ...
and
Jurassic The Jurassic ( ) is a Geological period, geologic period and System (stratigraphy), stratigraphic system that spanned from the end of the Triassic Period million years ago (Mya) to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period, approximately 143.1 Mya. ...
periods. Within the western part of the Totes Gebirge, lies the Schönberg group, which is geologically distinct from the Priel group due to a deep incursion furrow. The Wildensee line is a geological structure that stretches from Lake Altaussee, traverses the Hochklapfsattel, extends to Wildensandee Lake, and continues over the Rinnerboden to Offensee Lake. The base of the Loser mountain is composed predominantly of
Dachstein limestone The Dachstein Formation or Dachstein Limestone (German: ''Dachsteinkalk'') is a geologic formation in the Alps and other Tethyan mountain ranges in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, Slovakia and Slovenia. It preserves fossils dated t ...
, while the Plattenkogel showcases Pedata limestone or dolomite formations, both originating from the Triassic period. The Trisselwand and Tressenstein areas exhibit the presence of
Oberalmer Formation The Oberalmer Formation () is a geologic formation in Austria. It preserves fossils dated to the Cretaceous period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Austria This is a list of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Aust ...
and Tressensteinkalk, which formed during the Jurassic period. Scattered around the lake, one can observe remnants of
terminal Terminal may refer to: Computing Hardware * Computer terminal, a set of primary input and output devices for a computer * Terminal (electronics), a device for joining electrical circuits together ** Battery terminal, electrical contact used to ...
and
lateral moraines A moraine is any accumulation of unconsolidated debris (regolith and rock), sometimes referred to as glacial till, that occurs in both currently and formerly glaciated regions, and that has been previously carried along by a glacier or ice shee ...
, offering glimpses into the region's glacial history and the shaping of its surrounding landscape.


Former glaciation and formation

During the
ice age An ice age is a long period of reduction in the temperature of Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental and polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers. Earth's climate alternates between ice ages, and g ...
s, the Altaussee glacier flowed from the Totes Gebirge plateau, flowing over the Aussee basin and reaching the Traun glacier near
Bad Goisern Bad or BAD may refer to: Common meanings *Evil, the opposite of moral good *Error, Erroneous, inaccurate or incorrect *Unhealthy, or counter to well-being *Antagonist, the threat or obstacle of moral good Acronyms * BAD-2, a Soviet armored tr ...
. The glacier's movement was instrumental in sculpting the valley's over-deepened basin of Lake Altaussee. About 16,000 years ago, a powerful readvance of the glacier occurred and filled the basin once again, giving it its current form. Simultaneously, as the over-deepened basin was being freed from the ice, a lake began to form at the edge of the ice body. This phase, marked by the presence of a high debris formation around Lake Altaussee's basin, indicates the interaction between the ice body and the lake basin. As the ice eventually disappeared entirely, the alluvial cone adjusted to accommodate the present lake level. Originally, the lake area was likely more extensive, stretching over the Seewiese and reaching the
Osterseen Osterseen is a group of lakes in Bavaria, Germany, about 50 km (31 miles) south-south-west of Munich. At an elevation of 588 m (1,929 feet), its surface area is 223.55 ha (552.4 acres). Islands sorted by water body: Großer Ostersee (isl ...
. Over the course of the post-glacial period, the lake basin constantly changed its shape as a result of silting up. It is expected that, over tens of thousands of years, the lake basin will eventually vanish once again, further transforming the landscape.


Climate

The climate data show a temperature and precipitation distribution typically found in the Northern Limestone Alps: Cool and precipitation-rich summers, with a maximum of 16.2 Â°C and 220mm in July, respectively, and winters with low precipitation, with a minimum temperature of -2.2 Â°C in January. Precipitation shows a secondary maximum from December to January. Overall, the annual precipitation was 2041mm with an annual average temperature of 7.1 Â°C. The Schönberg group, located at the edge of the
Totes Gebirge The Totes Gebirge, also known in English as the Dead Mountains, is a mountain range in Austria that forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps, lying between the Salzkammergut and the Ennstaler Alpen. The name ''Totes Gebirge'' is supposedly der ...
, benefits from frequent cloud accumulation, resulting in above-average precipitation in that area. A comparison with
Bad Mitterndorf Bad Mitterndorf () is a town in Salzkammergut in the Austrian state of Styria. Situated between Salzburg and Graz, it is a popular winter sports resort and also as a location for walking and cycling in the summer. Bad Mitterndorf is the site of t ...
, situated on the southern side of the
Totes Gebirge The Totes Gebirge, also known in English as the Dead Mountains, is a mountain range in Austria that forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps, lying between the Salzkammergut and the Ennstaler Alpen. The name ''Totes Gebirge'' is supposedly der ...
and approximately 12 km away, highlights the barrier effect of the Totes Gebirge at a similar altitude. Bad Mitterndorf receives annual precipitation of 1222mm at an elevation of 803m above sea level. In terms of snow cover duration, the nearby town of
Bad Aussee Bad Aussee (; Central Bavarian: ''Bod Ossee'') is a town in the Austrian state of Styria, located at the confluence of the three sources of the Traun River in the Ausseerland region. Bad Aussee serves as the economic and cultural center of the St ...
, located 3 km away, experiences approximately 126 days of winter snow cover.


Limnology


Circulation

Lake Altaussee is classified as a
dimictic lake A dimictic lake is a body of freshwater whose difference in temperature between surface and bottom layers becomes negligible twice per year, allowing all strata of the lake's water to circulate vertically. All dimictic lakes are also considered h ...
. In spring after the ice melts, the water body mixes and brings oxygen-rich water into the depths. In the summer half-year, a distinct
thermocline A thermocline (also known as the thermal layer or the metalimnion in lakes) is a distinct layer based on temperature within a large body of fluid (e.g. water, as in an ocean or lake; or air, e.g. an atmosphere) with a high gradient of distinct te ...
forms, and only the surface layer warms up, in autumn mixing occurs again, followed by ice formation. Strict stratification conditions are present in Lake Altaussee. The
epilimnion The epilimnion or surface layer is the top-most layer in a thermally stratified lake. The epilimnion is the layer that is most affected by sunlight, its thermal energy heating the surface, thereby making it warmer and less dense. As a result ...
has only a very small thickness of about two meters. The
metalimnion A thermocline (also known as the thermal layer or the metalimnion in lakes) is a distinct layer based on temperature within a large body of fluid (e.g. water, as in an ocean or lake; or air, e.g. an atmosphere) with a high gradient of distinct te ...
lies at a depth of about five meters. The uniformly temperate
hypolimnion The hypolimnion or under lake is the dense, bottom layer of water in a thermally- stratified lake. The word " hypolimnion" is derived from . It is the layer that lies below the thermocline. Typically the hypolimnion is the coldest layer of a la ...
begins at 10 meters. The strikingly high position of the metalimnion is due to the relatively wind-protected location and only moderate flooding of the lake. After the spring circulation, surface water temperatures gradually increase, reaching a long-term average of 16.3 Â°C in August. However, between 2000 and 2006, the mean August temperature was higher at 18.4 Â°C, nearly 2 Â°C above the long-term average. The highest recorded water temperature in the lake was 21.8 Â°C during the summer of 2003. At depths below 15 meters, temperatures average around 4.6 Â°C. Throughout the summer stagnation phase, the hypolimnion warms up by an average of only 0.3 Â°C. The lake is typically covered by ice for an average of 57 days each year.


Trophy

The lake has a low concentration of nutrients and is thus
oligotroph An oligotroph is an organism that can live in an environment that offers very low levels of nutrients. They may be contrasted with copiotrophs, which prefer nutritionally rich environments. Oligotrophs are characterized by slow growth, low rates o ...
ic. Measurements in the years 2000 to 2006 showed an average phosphorus content of 6.7 ÎŒg/L. Due to the discharge of untreated wastewater, a eutrophication trend could be detected in the years 1963 to 1973 and the oxygen saturation above ground was already decreasing. In addition, bacteriological tests revealed the presence of
salmonella ''Salmonella'' is a genus of bacillus (shape), rod-shaped, (bacillus) Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The two known species of ''Salmonella'' are ''Salmonella enterica'' and ''Salmonella bongori''. ''S. enterica'' ...
. As a result, remediation measures began, which were completed in 1980 with the construction of a regional association
sewage treatment Sewage treatment is a type of wastewater treatment which aims to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable to discharge to the surrounding environment or an intended reuse application, thereby preventing water p ...
plant with a third treatment stage in the municipal area of
Bad Aussee Bad Aussee (; Central Bavarian: ''Bod Ossee'') is a town in the Austrian state of Styria, located at the confluence of the three sources of the Traun River in the Ausseerland region. Bad Aussee serves as the economic and cultural center of the St ...
. The hygienic situation of the bathing areas improved rapidly and the oligotrophic condition of the lake could be maintained. Several supply and disposal pipes run through the lake, connecting the rest areas at the Seewiese and the beach café located on the southern shore to the sewage system. Due to the low
phytoplankton Phytoplankton () are the autotrophic (self-feeding) components of the plankton community and a key part of ocean and freshwater Aquatic ecosystem, ecosystems. The name comes from the Greek language, Greek words (), meaning 'plant', and (), mea ...
concentration and low algae growth, the average summer visibility depth is 8.9 meters.


Plankton

According to chlorophyll studies, algae growth in Lake Altaussee is relatively low.
Cryptophyceae The cryptophyceae are a class of algae, most of which have plastids. About 230 species are known, and they are common in freshwater, and also occur in marine and brackish habitats. Each cell is around 10–50 ÎŒm in size and flattened in shape ...
and
diatom A diatom (Neo-Latin ''diatoma'') is any member of a large group comprising several Genus, genera of algae, specifically microalgae, found in the oceans, waterways and soils of the world. Living diatoms make up a significant portion of Earth's B ...
s are the principal phytoplankton community components, with species from the genus
Cyclotella ''Cyclotella'' is a genus of diatoms often found in oligotrophic environments, both marine and fresh water. It is in the family Stephanodiscaceae and the order Thalassiosirales. The genus was first discovered in the mid-1800s and since then has ...
standing out. In particular, ''Cyclotella Styria'' is a unique species found exclusively in Lake Altaussee and
Lake Grundlsee Lake Grundlsee is situated at the southern foot of the Totes Gebirge in Austria, in the Styrian part of the Salzkammergut. It lies at an altitude of 708 m above sea level. The municipal seat of Grundlsee is located on the northwest shore. The out ...
. The
zooplankton Zooplankton are the heterotrophic component of the planktonic community (the " zoo-" prefix comes from ), having to consume other organisms to thrive. Plankton are aquatic organisms that are unable to swim effectively against currents. Consequent ...
community, on the other hand, exhibits significantly higher biomass. Among the
rotifer The rotifers (, from Latin 'wheel' and 'bearing'), sometimes called wheel animals or wheel animalcules, make up a phylum (Rotifera ) of microscopic and near-microscopic Coelom#Pseudocoelomates, pseudocoelomate animals. They were first describ ...
s, the species ''Kellicottia longispina'', '' Keratella cochlearis'', and ''Keratella hiemalis'' were frequently observed. The
crustacean Crustaceans (from Latin meaning: "those with shells" or "crusted ones") are invertebrate animals that constitute one group of arthropods that are traditionally a part of the subphylum Crustacea (), a large, diverse group of mainly aquatic arthrop ...
plankton in Lake Altaussee is largely composed of species such as ''Cyclops abyssorum'', ''Eudiaptomus gracilis'', ''Daphnia hyalina'', and ''Eubosmina longispina''.


Flora and vegetation

The potential natural vegetation on the riparian slopes is a spruce-fir-beech forest (''Aposerido-Fagetum''). However, centuries of prioritizing spruce as a fuel source for the salt flats have led to a significant depletion and displacement of fir and beech trees. Snow heath-red pine forests (''Erico-Pinetum'') can only be found in the rockiest, driest regions. In the Seewiese, a treeless area created by
mowing A mower is a person or machine that cuts (mows) grass or other plants that grow on the ground. Usually mowing is distinguished from reaping, which uses similar implements, but is the traditional term for harvesting grain crops, e.g. with reaper ...
and
grazing In agriculture, grazing is a method of animal husbandry whereby domestic livestock are allowed outdoors to free range (roam around) and consume wild vegetations in order to feed conversion ratio, convert the otherwise indigestible (by human diges ...
, there are tall perennials such as meadowsweet ( ''Filipendula ulmaria'' ), ring thistle ( ''Carduus personata'' ), and
monkshood ''Aconitum'' (), also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefl ...
(''Aconitum napellus'' ). In the meadow around the hunting lodge, many star
daffodils ''Narcissus'' is a genus of predominantly spring flowering perennial plants of the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae. Various common names including daffodil,The word "daffodil" is also applied to related genera such as '' Sternbergia'', ''I ...
(''Narcissus radiiflorus'') bloom in the second half of May. On the shore edge of the lake meadow grows the very rare shore buttercup (''Ranunculus reptans''). It is found in Austria and on the shores of
Lake Constance Lake Constance (, ) refers to three bodies of water on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps: Upper Lake Constance (''Obersee''), Lower Lake Constance (''Untersee''), and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein (). These ...
. On the very dry, steep, and south-exposed slopes of the “Bumpy Stone Walls” in the shore area grows the mountain laserwort (''Laserpitium siler''), the only host plant of the mountain cumin summer work (''Orobanche laserpitii-sileris)'', which is highly uncommon in Austria. This full parasite reaches flowering there only in wet years. In Lake Altaussee, mirror pondweed (''Potamogeton lucens''), alpine pondweed (''Potamogeton alpinus''), crested pondweed (''Stuckenia pectinate''), Berchtold's dwarf pondweed (''Potamogeton berchtoldii'') and hairy-leaved water crowfoot (''Ranunculus trichophyllus'') occur in larger stands in places in the shallower shore areas. Grass pondweed (''Potamogeton gramineus'') grows only locally in the
reed Reed or Reeds may refer to: Science, technology, biology, and medicine * Reed bird (disambiguation) * Reed pen, writing implement in use since ancient times * Reed (plant), one of several tall, grass-like wetland plants of the order Poales * Re ...
stand (''Phragmites australis'') on the north bank and marsh pond thread (''Zannichellia palustris'') on the bank near the church. Dense
stonewort Charales is an order of freshwater green algae in the division Charophyta, class Charophyceae, commonly known as stoneworts. Depending on the treatment of the genus '' Nitellopsis'', living (extant) species are placed into either one family ( ...
algae lawns on the former alluvial cone of the Augstbach are conspicuous.


Fauna

The fish population of Lake Altaussee is composed of the following species:
burbot The burbot (''Lota lota''), also known as bubbot, mariah, loche, cusk, freshwater cod, freshwater ling, freshwater cusk, the lawyer, coney-fish, lingcod, or eelpout, is a species of coldwater ray-finned fish native to the subarctic regions of ...
(''Lota lota''),
chub Chub is a common fish name. It pertains to any one of a number of ray-finned fish in several families and general. In the UK, the term ''chub'' usually refers to the species '' Squalius cephalus''. In addition, see sea chub. In family Cyprinid ...
(''Squalius cephalus''),
minnow Minnow is the common name for a number of species of small freshwater fish, belonging to several genus, genera of the family Cyprinidae and in particular the subfamily Leuciscinae. They are also known in Ireland as wikt:pinkeen, pinkeens. While ...
(''Phoxinus phoxinus''),
perch Perch is a common name for freshwater fish from the genus ''Perca'', which belongs to the family Percidae of the large order Perciformes. The name comes from , meaning the type species of this genus, the European perch (''P. fluviatilis'') ...
(''Perca fluviatilis''),
lake Trout The lake trout (''Salvelinus namaycush'') is a freshwater Salvelinus, char living mainly in lakes in Northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, namaycush, lake char (or charr), touladi, togue, laker, and grey trout. In Lake Sup ...
(''Salmo trutta'') and
arctic Char The Arctic char or Arctic charr (''Salvelinus alpinus'') is a cold-water fish in the family Salmonidae, native to alpine lakes, as well as Arctic and subarctic coastal waters in the Holarctic realm, Holarctic. Distribution and habitat It Spaw ...
(''Salvelinus alpinus''). The perch is not native to the lake. The common pond mussel (''Anodonta anatina'') lives sporadically on the former alluvial cone of the Augstbach. The green jelly spherule (''Ophrydium versatile'') is also common. About 6 species of waterfowl have been recorded in the area. In addition to the common annual birds’
coot Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family, Rallidae. They constitute the genus ''Fulica'', the name being the Latin term for "coot". Coots have predominantly black plumage, and—unlike many rails—they are usual ...
(''Fulica atra''),
mute swan The mute swan (''Cygnus olor'') is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurasia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, home to ...
(''Cygnus olor''),
mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. It has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...
(''Anas platyrhynchos''), and
tufted duck The tufted duck (or tufted pochard) (''Aythya fuligula'') is a small diving duck with a population of nearly one million birds, found in northern Eurasia. They are partially migratory. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek , an unide ...
(''Aythya fuligula''), the
great crested grebe The great crested grebe (''Podiceps cristatus'') is a member of the grebe family of water birds. The bird is characterised by its distinctive appearance, featuring striking black, orange-brown, and white plumage, and elaborate courtship displa ...
(''Podiceps cristatus'') is also among the breeding birds. The
great egret The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret, or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. R ...
(''Ardea alba'') also lives at the lake.


Nature Conservation

With its largely undeveloped shores with nearby marshes and wooded steep slopes, the lake provides habitats for many animal and plant species and the area has been under nature protection since 1959. The Altaussee Nature Reserve (NSG-a03) spans 242 hectares and extends to an altitude of 1600m above sea level. In 2006, the Totes Gebirge European Protected Area with Lake Altaussee European Protected Area No. 35 was designated under the Habitats and Birds Directives as part of the
Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectiv ...
network.


Research

The
Walter Munk Walter Heinrich Munk (October 19, 1917 – February 8, 2019) was an American physical oceanographer. He was one of the first scientists to bring statistical methods to the analysis of oceanographic data. Munk worked on a wide range of topics, i ...
Foundation for the Oceans supports research projects in the field of limnology, ecology, and underwater archaeology at Lake Altaussee. Together with the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, a high-resolution multibeam
echo sounder Echo sounding or depth sounding is the use of sonar for ranging, normally to determine the depth of water (bathymetry). It involves transmitting acoustic waves into water and recording the time interval between emission and return of a pulse; ...
was used to create a detailed 3D model of the lake bottom in 2019. It shows, among other things, sediment formations of various kinds, large boulders, crater-shaped underwater springs, and around 100 standing tree trunks with heights of one to about fifteen meters distributed over the entire lake. In the summer of 2022, a 10-meter-tall white fir (''Abies alba'') was recovered from the lake. By combining
dendrochronology Dendrochronology (or tree-ring dating) is the scientific method of chronological dating, dating tree rings (also called growth rings) to the exact year they were formed in a tree. As well as dating them, this can give data for dendroclimatology, ...
and radiocarbon methods, the age could be accurately determined. The tree has 247 annual rings and died in 859 AD. The rootstock of the fir can be visited on the north bank. How the approximately 100 tree trunks got into the lake - for example, through a tectonic event, or whether they grew in the site - require further investigation.


Economy


Fishing

Lake fishing in Altaussee has a documented history dating back to the 13th century. The fishing activities were under the authority of the sovereign lordship of Pflindsberg, and only a selected group of residents from the village of Fischerndorf had the privilege to engage in fishing. These individuals were obligated to pay fishing fees, which granted them the right to fish. The fishing operations were organized by guilds, as indicated by the name Fischerndorf. The allocation of fishing rights was based on the size of the land owned by the entitled farmers. In Altaussee, fishing rights are passed down through generations and are considered hereditary. The Austrian Federal Forests hold the lake, but the rights of the fishermen are registered in the land register and have been owned by the local families for generations. Fishing in the lake is still conducted professionally to this day. Lake Altaussee is renowned for its large char and trout populations, with
Arctic char The Arctic char or Arctic charr (''Salvelinus alpinus'') is a cold-water fish in the family Salmonidae, native to alpine lakes, as well as Arctic and subarctic coastal waters in the Holarctic realm, Holarctic. Distribution and habitat It Spaw ...
accounting for approximately 90% of the total catch. The shallow and flowing water on the lake side of the Seeklause serves as a crucial spawning area for lake trout, which spawn from October to December. To prevent the fish from migrating into the Traun River, grids are installed under the bridge during the spawning season. Additionally, there is a spawning sanctuary (LaichschonstĂ€tte) located at the LechthĂŒtte on the southeast bank. The char in Lake Altaussee spawn from October to November on gravel banks that are free of silt, typically at a depth of around 20 meters. To support the char population, a portion of the fish is captured using nets during what is known as "leaching batches." The eggs are then stripped and fertilized to cultivate young fish. During the summer, these young fish are released back into the lake. The fishermen's cross, located on the western shore, used to serve as a guide to locate the spawning grounds and the best fishing spots for Arctic char. Fishermen would navigate with a flatboat to a specific point where the alignment of the Granzling, the tip of the flatboat, the fisherman's cross, and the Dietrichskogel formed a line. The cross needed to be positioned on the horizon of the Dietrichskogel. In the past, the fisherman's cross was a freestanding structure easily visible from all directions. However, it is now obscured by tall trees. The
perch Perch is a common name for freshwater fish from the genus ''Perca'', which belongs to the family Percidae of the large order Perciformes. The name comes from , meaning the type species of this genus, the European perch (''P. fluviatilis'') ...
(''Perca fluviatilis'') was not originally native to the lake but entered the water body at the end of the 1980s for yet unexplained reasons. As a foreign fish species, it changed the aquatic ecosystem and caused damage to the population of minnows and Arctic char, on whose spawn it feeds. To restore the balance, attempts are being made to reduce the population of the perch. One method involves placing submerged spruce branches, where the perch lay their eggs, and then removing the branches to destroy the fish eggs.


Shipping

The company Stern Schifffahrt GmbH, based in
Gmunden Gmunden () is a town in Upper Austria, in the district of Gmunden (district), Gmunden. It has 13,204 inhabitants (estimates 2016 ). Geography Gmunden covers an area of and has a median elevation of . It is situated next to the lake Traunsee on t ...
, operates shipping on Lake Altaussee. Boats run regularly between the Madlmaier landing stage in Altaussee and the Seewiese landing stage on the northeast shore. On May 7, 2011, the Altaussee, Austria's first solar-electric powered
catamaran A catamaran () (informally, a "cat") is a watercraft with two parallel hull (watercraft), hulls of equal size. The wide distance between a catamaran's hulls imparts stability through resistance to rolling and overturning; no ballast is requi ...
, began operating on the lake. The boat has room for 80 passengers. Since 2018, the company has also been offering flatboat trips including skippers. Combustion engines are prohibited on ships and boats in Lake Altaussee, as well as on all lakes in the inner Salzkammergut region. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, including professional fishing, liner shipping, and vehicles used by rescue and fire departments.


Tourism

Lake Altaussee is a popular destination for excursions because of its beautiful location. In Altaussee exists a distinctive tourist infrastructure with accommodation and catering establishments. The hunting lodge Seewiese on the northeast shore was originally owned by the Hohenlohe-SchillingsfĂŒrst family and is now run as an inn. It contains a small natural history museum on the second floor, which focuses on Lake Altaussee and the numerous fossils found in the region. To the south of the Seewiese, an inn dating from the 1900s was purchased by
Dietrich Mateschitz Dietrich Markwart Eberhart Mateschitz (, ; 20 May 1944 – 22 October 2022) was an Austrian billionaire businessman. He was the co-founder and 49% owner of Red Bull GmbH. In April 2022, Mateschitz's net worth was estimated at US$27.4 billion. Ma ...
and rebuilt in local style in May 2018. Most of the shore is freely accessible. Public bathing jetties are located at the Seeklausanger parking lot and at the Seepark in Altaussee. Lake Altaussee is also suitable for ice skating and curling, as it often freezes over completely in winter. During the Daffodil Festival at the end of May/beginning of June, which lasts several days, a boat parade takes place every third year on Lake Altaussee. Here, sculptures decorated with star daffodils are put on display.


History

At the outlet of Lake Altaussee, like other lakes in the inner Salzkammergut, there existed a hermitage specifically used for wood drifting. With relatively modest means, this location allowed for the storage of large quantities of water. The first mention of this hermitage dates back to the forest survey of 1561. In 1633, a new building was constructed, entirely made of wood at the time. The reconstruction of the Seeklause using
ashlar Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...
s began in 1781. Additionally, an external rake was built around 1300 to gather the floated wood. However, after the brewing operation in Aussee market in 1867, the rake fell into disuse. The final wood drifting event on the Altaussee Traun occurred in 1882. Presumably, the Klause was destroyed during a flood in 1899. Subsequent to the catastrophic floods of 1897 and 1899, the remaining traces of the rake were eliminated as part of the shore reinforcement measures. In the last days of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, a truck was sunk on the north bank. Today, this consists only of fragments scattered over an area of about 20 × 40 m.


Lake Altaussee in Art

As the nobility began to settle in Ausseerland, Altaussee also attracted more and more writers, painters, and musicians. From the middle of the 19th century, Altaussee developed into a "home of writers".
Raoul Auernheimer Raoul Auernheimer (April 15, 1876 in Vienna – January 6, 1948, in Oakland, California) was an Austrian jurist and writer. Personal life Auernheimer was the son of German businessman Johann Wilhelm Auernheimer and his Hungarian-Jewish wife Ch ...
, in his autobiography "''Das Wirtshaus zur verlorenen Zeit''", compares the lake to an inkwell into which “the poets sitting around in circles dipped their quills”. The influence of the lake is documented in the Altaussee Literature Museum. The lake and the hunting lodge Seewiese were filming locations for the
James Bond The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
film
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writt ...
in 2015.


References


Further reading

* * * {{Citation , title=geologie.ac.at , url=https://opac.geologie.ac.at/wwwopacx/wwwopac.ashx?command=getcontent&server=images&value=096_Bad_Ischl.pdf , work=Gerhard W. Mandl, Dirk van Husen, Harald Lobitzer: ErlÀuterungen zu Blatt 69 Bad Ischl. Hrsg: Geologische Bundesanstalt. Wien 2012 * Wolfgang Adler, Alexander Mrkvicka: Hrsg.: Naturhistorisches Museum Wien. Wien 2005.


External links


Commons: Altausseer See
- Collection of images, videos, and audio files
Research projects at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Lakes of Styria Danube