Pressegger See

Pressegger See
	Pressegger See from the south bank to the north
Geographical location	Gailtal , Carinthia , Austria
Tributaries	Vella
Drain	Seebach → Gail
	Data
Coordinates	46 ° 37 '34 " N , 13 ° 26' 29" E Coordinates: 46 ° 37 '34 " N , 13 ° 26' 29" E
Altitude above sea level	560 m above sea level A.
surface	55 ha
length	1 km
width	600 m
volume	1,900,000 m³
Maximum depth	14 m
Middle deep	3 m

Pressegger See with a belt of reeds

The Pressegger See ( Slovenian : Preseško Jezero ) is located in the Lower Gailtal east of Hermagor . With an area of 55 hectares, it is the ninth largest lake in Carinthia . The large reed stands are characteristic of this lake.

geography

The lake lies in a glacial basin that forms a secondary furrow of the Gailtal. It represents the remainder of a postglacial much larger lake, which has been made smaller by siltation and debris cone . To the north of the lake are the limestone chains of the Spitzegelzug . In the southwest are the phyllite ridges of Guggenberg-Egg, which are made up of crystalline slates.

The lake has a water surface of 55 hectares. This makes it the ninth largest lake in Carinthia. It has a semicircular shape, the shoreline is not very differentiated. The underwater embankments in the west, north and east are gently sloping, in the south they are steeper. The bottom of the lake is flat. Several small well funnels are sunk into it. The mean depth of the Pressegger See is 3.4 m. Only one seventh of the lake is deeper than 6 m. In the area of the spring funnel, the lake reaches a depth of 13 m.

In the west and east the lake is surrounded by natural reeds, in the north and south these have been displaced by cultivated land and bathing areas.

Hydrology and ecology

The Pressegger See has a very high lime content. The hardness of lime is around 10 ° dH. The calcium concentration is around 50 mg / l. The pH is between 8 and 9.

Its flatness combined with the sunny location causes the lake to warm up quickly in early summer to temperatures of 22 to 24 ° C. In 5 to 8 m depth, forms a thermocline out with a strong temperature gradient. The deep water is around 10 ° C cold.

Two thirds of the inflow of the lake is via the Vella (0.7 m³ / s) and some smaller feeder streams, and one third via the groundwater (around 0.5 m³ / s). Due to the high influx, the water in the lake is exchanged in just 20 days. The lake drains into the Gail via the 3.6 km long Pressegger-Seebach .

The occurrence of the funnel springs is due to the limestone cones that extend from the foot of the Vellacher cone into the lake. They lie on a water-impermeable Ice Age ground moraine and are in turn covered by clayey deposits. The mountain water accumulates between these two layers and emerges from the submarine springs.

The high water flow prevented the lake from experiencing severe eutrophication in the 1960s and 1970s . Extreme nutrient loads and algae blooms were spared the lake. The phosphorus concentration increased from less than 10 µg / l in the surface water to about double, the highest algae density was 2.5 g / m³. Eutrophication reached its peak in 1983 and 1984, which means that eutrophication remained low compared to other Carinthian lakes. The construction of the sewer system from 1969 onwards significantly improved the water quality , so that the lake is now classified as oligotrophic . In 1999, for example, the phosphorus concentration was below 5 µg / l and the algal biomass was 0.3 g / m³. The viewing depth is 5 to 6 m and thus extends to the bottom in large parts of the lake.

A late consequence of the nutrient input of the 1960s and 1970s was that after the water became clear again, there was an increased growth of the underwater plants , which now benefited from the incidence of light down to the bottom of the lake and from the nutrients previously deposited. This led to adverse effects on bathing operations. In the 1990s, the bottom sludge was removed from the bathing areas on the north and south banks with suction dredgers. Today the vegetation is regularly cut and removed using a mowing boat.

Flora and fauna

Due to the shallow depth and the clarity of the water, large areas of the lake are overgrown with aquatic plants: pine fronds ( Hippuris vulgaris ), yellow pond rose ( Nuphar lutea ) and chandelier algae ( Chara sp.).

Due to the low supply of nutrients and the high flooding, the stock of phytoplankton is relatively low. Diatoms are predominant . The second largest group are the golden algae , which are characteristic of clean, cool waters and whose main development occurs in spring and August.

The largest contiguous Carinthian reed population ( Phragmites australis ) grows on Lake Pressegger See . The stocks are up to 3 m high. In addition to the reeds, other reed plants such as pond rush ( Schoenoplectus lacustris ) and Schneideried ( Cladium mariscus ) are of secondary importance. Inland, the reeds are replaced by sedge beds and black alder stocks. Characteristic plants in this transition area are Carex elata , Menyanthes trifoliata , Peucedanum palustre , Lysimachia vulgaris and Lythrum salicaria . A rare orchid in Central Europe, the Glanzstendel ( Lipari loeselii ), comes to silting moors before.

The swamp forests around the lake are the only tree species formed by the black alder ( Alnus glutinosa ). In the area of the lake runoff, the gray alder ( Alnus incana ) also mixes in , a type of vegetation that is rather rare for Carinthia. Extensive wet meadows border the quarry forest , home to rare plant species and, in the past, the basis for the important Gailtal horse breeding.

The zooplankton is represented by different groups of animals. Numerous representatives of the rotifers are Polyarthra vulgaris , Gastropus stylifer , Ascomorpha ovalis and Asplanchna priodonta ; Keratella cochlearis , Kellicottia longispina , Ploesoma truncatum and Hexarthra mira are rarer . The most common copepods is Eudiaptomus graciloides , less common are the predatory Cyclops bohater and Eucyclops serrulatus . There are six species of leaf crabs , including Daphnia hyalina .

Characteristic birds that are tied to the reed belt are reed warbler , reed warbler , reed warbler and bittern . Typical water birds are mallard , coot and grebes . Moorhen , little grebe and water rail live in secrecy and are rarely spotted. The last breeding record for the potted marsh fowl was in 1976. Rare breeding birds are the carminer and the ash-headed wagtail .

A dragonfly species that is endangered in Carinthia is the common wedge damsel ( Gomphus vulgatissimus ). The bellied diaper snail ( Vertigo moulinsiana ) has its westernmost location in Carinthia in the sedge and reed bed area .

12 species of fish live in the lake: pike , catfish , aitel , bitterling , bream , carp , arbor , roach , rudd , tench , perch and pikeperch . The noble crayfish is very numerous in the lake and in its inflow and outflow. Carp, roach, roach and catfish are most common in the runoff; the fish population here is extraordinarily high due to the structural diversity (up to almost 9,000 kg / ha).

use

The Pressegger See is a popular, relatively warm bathing water. The history of tourism on the lake begins around 1890 and was initially rather slow due to the remoteness of the Gail Valley. However, the summer visitors soon concentrated in the area of the lake and in the village of Hermagor. After the First World War, tourism increased, in 1932 the municipality of Möschach (now part of Hermagor) applied for the establishment of a place called Pressegger See, today one of three places that go back to tourism alongside Sonnleitn and Sonnenalpe Naßfeld . Tourism experienced a great boom in the economic boom of the 1950s. During this time, two campsites were built on the lake. In 1967 the Hermagor lido was opened. This was renovated in 1992, and the "First Carinthian Adventure Park" was opened here with a large water slide and Luna Loop.

A local family is allowed to fish on the lake. Mainly carp, tench, pike and catfish are caught. Another family has the right to fish in the drain.

Up until the cancer plague , from 1879, noble cancer was also of economic importance. The captured animals were sold on the markets of Villach and Klagenfurt and even sent by train to Vienna.

Landscape protection area

In 1970, the Pressegger See and the surrounding areas were declared a landscape protection area (LGBl. No. 89/1970, No. 62/1983). It is 416 acres.

Web links

Commons : Pressegger See - collection of images, videos and audio files

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Federal Office for Water Management (Hrsg.): Atlas of the natural lakes of Austria with an area ≥ 50 ha. Morphometry - Typing - Trophy. As of 2005. Series of publications by the Federal Office for Water Management, Volume 29, Vienna 2008, p. 64 ( PDF; 9 MB )
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Carinthian Institute for Lake Research: Carinthian Lake Report 1992. 60 years of lake research, 30 years of lake restoration . (= Publications by the Carinthian Institute for Lake Research 7) Klagenfurt 1992, pp. 417–429.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m W. Honsig-Erlenburg, W. Petutschnig (Hrsg.): The Pressegger See and its silting zones . In: The waters of the Gailtal. Natural science Carinthian Association, Klagenfurt 2002, ISBN 3-85328-021-8 , pp. 151-168.
↑ Werner Petutschnig: The bird world . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , 385–388.
↑ ^a ^b Wolfgang Honsig-Erlenburg: Fish and fishing . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , pp. 407-410.
↑ Heidi Rogy: The development of tourism in the area of Hermagor . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , pp. 145–156.
↑ Pressegger See Adventure Park
^ Jürgen Petutschnig: Bathing with crayfish. Crayfish in the town of Hermagor-Pressegger See . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , pp. 411-413.

[seenatlas-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Federal Office for Water Management (Hrsg.): Atlas of the natural lakes of Austria with an area ≥ 50 ha. Morphometry - Typing - Trophy. As of 2005. Series of publications by the Federal Office for Water Management, Volume 29, Vienna 2008, p. 64 ( PDF; 9 MB )

[KIS1992-2] Carinthian Institute for Lake Research: Carinthian Lake Report 1992. 60 years of lake research, 30 years of lake restoration . (= Publications by the Carinthian Institute for Lake Research 7) Klagenfurt 1992, pp. 417–429.

[Gailtal-3] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m W. Honsig-Erlenburg, W. Petutschnig (Hrsg.): The Pressegger See and its silting zones . In: The waters of the Gailtal. Natural science Carinthian Association, Klagenfurt 2002, ISBN 3-85328-021-8 , pp. 151-168.

[4] Werner Petutschnig: The bird world . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , 385–388.

[Honsig-Erlenburg-5] Wolfgang Honsig-Erlenburg: Fish and fishing . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , pp. 407-410.

[6] Heidi Rogy: The development of tourism in the area of Hermagor . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , pp. 145–156.

[7] Pressegger See Adventure Park

[8] Jürgen Petutschnig: Bathing with crayfish. Crayfish in the town of Hermagor-Pressegger See . In: Heidi Rogy (Ed.): Stadtgemeinde Hermagor-Pressegger See. History, culture, nature . (= From Research and Art Volume 38) Verlag des Geschichtsverein für Kärnten, Klagenfurt am Wörthersee 2010, ISBN 978-3-85454-118-9 , pp. 411-413.