Caumasee

The Caumasee (Romansh Lag la Caumasee, sometimes Lai da Caumasee ) located near Flims in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. He is with seasonally fluctuating level to about 997 m in height and is accessible by the specially -built funicular.

Name

The meaning of the name is derived from the Greek-Latin Caumasee, which means as much as, heat of the sun '. In Romanesque, it also refers to the resting place of the cattle during lunch time, so when the sun heat. However, the word also has the meaning of ' place to sleep '. « Caumasee " So can be combined with most likely, lake siesta ' translate.

Location / Surroundings

The lake is completely surrounded by forest. It lies in a valley south of about a hundred meters higher Flims in Flims Forest, which separates the Grisons Surselva as " area if the forest ". The lake can be reached only on foot or by bike - but for bicycles shall apply on the main path, which directly from Flims Waldhaus to the funicular leads, the only driving ban in the Grand Forest.

Geologically, it lies in the rubble mass of the Flims landslide. In other sinks this mostly wooded typical hilly Toggenburg area are also the other three lakes Flims: Lag prau consoles, Lag prau Tuleritg, and Cresta. Southwest of Caumasee is the highest hill of the lake region, the hill La Mutta ( 1'236 m). Almost in the center of the lake is a larger, partially wooded island.

The water of the Caumasee is striking turquoise green. In addition, the westernmost bay of the lake does not freeze in the winter because the lake is fed by large underground sources. Also the outflow takes place underground. The water level is subject to considerable fluctuations. The maximum level in the lake in mid / late July to the end of the snowmelt in the surrounding mountains, the lowest level after the melting away of winter snow on the lake in the spring in late April.

Use

The lake is a popular seaside resort in summer; in its sheltered trough it reaches a water temperature of up to 24 degrees. Especially in the early summer, the lake comparatively high temperatures, because of the lower volume on the still deep water level and underground power. The western bay is because even throughout the winter, even in the longest periods of cold ice.

Since 1937, leads down a funicular 125 meters to the lake, which was renewed on the old trackbed 1999. The Caumasee lift is in operation during the summer season, the use of which is free. During the season, an entrance fee is charged at somewhat warmer weather in the infrastructure sector. In winter the restaurant is closed; the lake can be achieved, however, and surrounded on cleared footpaths.

History

Early on, but certainly in the 19th century, was the water of Caumasee to have healing powers. Patient came to cure his water skin and eye disease, gout and unhealed wounds. 1835 a bathing hut was built on the northeastern shore; a pumping station operation Caumaseewasser in three swimming pools and a shared bath, but fell apart after a few years.

The island in the lake at that time belonged to a Flims, who had received as a reward for special services. He built it a restaurant but could not hold himself and of the society founded in 1875 « Health and Seebadanstalt Waldhaus " was removed. The Company received from the community, the concession for the exclusive management of the Caumasee with the order to create the necessary driving and hiking trails.

Around 1880, walking paths around the Caumasee; Rowing boats were bought and built a boat house and a first bathing establishment. 1884 was the island became the property of the Hotel Waldhaus. 1906 the first bathing establishment was replaced by a new building in chalet style with two single-sex non-swimmers and numerous dressing rooms. Because of the fluctuating water level of the lake, the building was equipped with two floats and rose and fell depending on water levels, the end of the season on the bricked foundations. In these areas, the building stood all winter, respectively. 1911 the building a second floor was set up and a restaurant was built. Two small bays on the west side and a section in the eastern part were later covered with stone slabs and until the takeover cleaned by the municipality annually in the spring, so that a comfortable entry into the lake was possible. One of the drive systems is a non-swimmer pool with seat edge. Unfortunately, the lake reached this normal summer water level in recent times far more, see problems with the water level. Even earlier Although some deeper water levels than desired had surrendered; not only for the edification of walkers Hotel Director Bezzola had renew one of the Bewässerungsbächlein in Flims forest to above the prau consoles Lake, where there the lake reached in a cascade and below the small bridge on the west side to the outflow of the prau consoles to strengthen lake to support in the hope that the level of Caumasee so.

1969 Caumasee with all facilities has been repurchased by the community for half a million francs. The somewhat dated floating bathhouse was demolished and replaced by new buildings distributed on land. Only the terrace of the restaurant was left. In the 1980s, a wide entry stairs were bricked for the triathlon. In addition, a wild, inaccessible bay was filled in the east to gain additional space for a lawn. On 2 June 2003 the new building project, " rock" of the architect Valerio Olgiati in Flims 1007 to 267 votes was rejected by the voters. The 1970s buildings blocks in the " temporary - style " were subsequently demolished in 2005 partly embellished the outside part. A children's pool from the 1980s, was also demolished and replaced by a children's water playground, also created a beach volley field in addition.

Seaside resort Caumasee 1880

1911

Bathing 1915

Model 1911 developed Bathhouse

Gallery

Lower water level in April 2007

View from the south

Caumasee -Lift

Restaurant

Fauna

In Caumasee live fish in orders of magnitude of the minnow ( in Switzerland called " Bammeli " or " Bambeli " ) to full-grown carp of about 50 centimeters in length. Chance therefore herons come to visit, but who are bothered by bathing. Slightly less can the wagtails interfere, at least one pair of nested several times in the "stone", the large boulders, carrying the flag and destination for countless float is what leads to large feeding breaks. A special feature was the eels, which were exposed in 1900 in the lake. Still 1986 could safely watch a copy of the lifeguard.

In the 1970s, the Flims Photographer Jules Geiger led in the summer a pair of swans on the lake. The emerging since the late 1980s, mallards do not like the brooding the rising water level of the Caumasee. That's why there was duck families who moved with her ​​chicks from the nearby Lag prau Tuleritg with its almost constant level by land to the larger Caumasee and thus took a dangerous trek through the forest in purchasing. Previously unknown but are more frequently occurring cancers. Presumably it is Jackdaw crabs, which also occur in the near Cresta. Chance of more birds come to visit; again and again, gulls are seen in July and the end of August 2013 was a Little Grebe as a guest, which however may feel shy as a wild animal in Caumasee with many operating not well. Diehard was one of three emerged egrets, which in 2013 the lake remained loyal even weeks in high season. Also in 2013 was to see a cormorant.

Problem with the water level from 2003

Since 2003, when Caumasee a striking deeper water level can be observed: the construction of the underground bypass of Flims a large karst conduit was cut so that the karst system lag animal t lag prau consoles will be withdrawn since 2002 thousand liters / second. Since this karst system consoles and Lag prau Tuleritg feeds the Caumasee via Lag prau also the Caumasee himself less water available.

As of 2002, the water level rose ( as measured by the scale at the big rock off the island ) is significantly less and barely reached the average of 8 meters, which was reached in the last twenty years before tunnel construction. In a hydrogeological study of the karst expert Pierre -Yves Jeannin February 2009, the influence of tunneling was detected on the water level of Caumasee. Also, the general dryness of the last few years played a role.

The level is increased since 2011 by the Pultébach, which mainly feeds the Caumasee via seepage sources, is supplied annually to 700,000 cubic meters of additional water. It is the platform Alva -Bach and the Flembach during six to eight weeks a year removed from water and fed to the Pultébach, which indirectly feeds the Caumasee. This is the lake level be raised by a half up to one meter. Through direct discharge of tunnel water in the lake, the water would lose the characteristic turquoise color. A popular initiative, which had so requires, has been withdrawn. Objections from environmental organizations after a positive evaluation of the project by an expert Simon Löw retired from the ETH Zurich and implemented the project.