Ägelsee (Zeiningen)

The Aegelsee (Swiss German: [ æ ː ɡlse ː ] ), also Egelsee, is a small kettle hole in the municipality of Zeiningen, Canton Aargau, Switzerland. The approximately 7500 m² large nature reserve is an amphibian spawning area of ​​national importance.

Location

The lake is at 339 m above sea level. M. in a hollow middle of the broad " Möhliner field " between the communities Wall Bach and Möhlin in the Upper Rhine plain. The entrance to the reserve is via minor roads.

Formation

Formation of Toteissees

During the crack - ice age about 140,000 years ago the Möhliner field was the most northwestern point of the Alpine glaciation. About the area at that time stretched a mighty glacier or a terminal moraine.

With global warming and thus the end of the Ice Age glaciers began to melt and retreated gradually. Since the ice, especially in regions with locally increased ice thickness (such as in tongue basin ) have no thaws evenly, more or less large blocks remained in the formerly ice-covered area. From active following on closes glacier melt water could settle on the next and finally through the ice blocks sediment material. So was the ice stagnant ice. With the melting in the underground, the surface above the dead ice sagged slowly, whereupon a Toteiskessel. This is then filled with surface water. The several -meter-thick clay layer under the lake made ​​it a good insulation.

Siltation risk

Since the lake is and no outlet and is fed only by surface water, the risk of silting is very large. Most kettle holes, especially the smaller and shallower, are already fully silted today. In the 70s this was almost the case with Aegelsee. By intensively farmed area around the lake, the fertile Möhliner field, kept on getting fertilizer into the lake. Due to the high nutrient content in the lake it came to excessive plant growth. By decaying plant material formed over time a ever increasing layer of silt on the lake bottom.

Thanks to a comprehensive total renovation 1978-1979 the lake was saved from complete silting. Since then, the Aegelsee is regularly maintained. To prevent the silting, further restructuring measures, however, are essential in the future.

Flora and Fauna

The nature reserve provides the habitat of many animal and plant species.

In the spring the entire lake surface is practically covered densely with small duckweed. The dense fouling by aquatic plants causes the environment, respectively. the sunlight is almost not mirrored in the lake, which Aegelsee gives an unaccustomed languor.

In the lake itself and around thrive the most diverse species of algae and flowering aquatic and marsh plants. In the Waterside area mainly grow reeds and cattails. In the eastern part of the lake individual trees are permanently in the water.

In and around the Aegelsee lives a large number of water frogs and other small amphibians. The large inventory of insects provides food for many bird species. Thus, the reserve is also home of Little Grebe, Moorhen and Red-backed Shrike is estimated as a breeding site. More frequently observed bird species are marsh warbler, little grebe and numerous other songbirds.

Other protected areas in the vicinity

• Breitsee ( fen, 1.5 km northwest )
• Haumättli ( floodplain along the Rhine, 2,4 km to the north )