Pressegger See
The Presseger See ( Slovene: Preseško Jezero ) is located in the Lower Gail Valley east of Hermagor. With an area of 55 hectares, it is the ninth largest lake in Carinthia. Characteristic for this lake are the large reed beds.
Geography
The lake lies in a glacially formed basin, which forms a minor-groove of the Gail Valley. It represents the residue of a much larger post-glacial lake, which was reduced by siltation and debris cone. North of the lake lie the limestone chains of Spitzegelzuges. In the southwest are the Phyllitrücken Guggenberg - Egg, which are composed of crystalline schists.
The lake has a water area of 55 acres. This makes it the ninth largest lake in Carinthia. It has a semi-circular shape, the shoreline is not differentiated. The underwater slopes in the west, north and east are shallow, in the south they are steeper. The bottom of the lake is flat. In it, several small source funnels are sunk. The average depth of Lake Pressegg is 3.4 m. Only one-seventh of the lake is deeper than 6 m. In the area of the source funnel the lake reaches a depth of 13 m.
To the west and east of the lake is surrounded by natural reeds, the north and south they were displaced by cultivated land and swimming pool grounds.
Hydrology and Ecology
The Presseger lake has a very high calcium content. Calcium Hardness is around 10 ° dH. The calcium concentration is about 50 mg / l The pH is 8 to 9
Its flatness associated with the sunny position requires the rapid warming of the lake in early summer temperatures of 22 to 24 ° C. In 5 to 8 m depth, a thermocline forms with a strong temperature gradient. The deep water is around 10 ° C cold.
The inlet to the lake takes place two-thirds of the Vella ( 0.7 m³ / s) and some smaller tributaries to third on groundwater (about 0.5 m³ / s). Due to the high inflow of the lake water is replaced in just 20 days. The lake drains through the 3.6 km Pressegger -Seebach in the Gail.
The appearance of the funnel sources is due to the Kalkschuttkegel, ranging from the foot of Vellacher cone into the lake. They are located on an impermeable glacial moraine and are in turn covered by clayey deposits. Between these two layers, the mountain water builds up and comes out in the undersea sources.
The high water flow rate has prevented it came to strong eutrophication in the lake in the 1960s and 1970s. Extreme nutrient pollution and algal blooms were spared the lake. The phosphorus concentration increased from below 10 ug / l in the surface water at about twice the the highest algal density was 2.5 g / m³. Eutrophication reached its peak in 1983 and 1984, causing the eutrophication compared to other lakes in Carinthia remained low. Through the construction of sewer systems in 1969, the water quality has been significantly improved, so that the lake is classified as oligotrophic today. 1999 as the phosphorus concentration, the algal biomass was below 5 g / l, 0.3 g / m³. The Secchi depth is 5-6 m and therefore extends across much of the lake to the bottom.
A late effect of nutrient in the 1960s and 1970s was that it came after the re - Vivid Will the water in an increased growth of aquatic plants, which are now benefiting from the light to the bottom of the lake and of the previously deposited nutrients. This led to impairment of the bathing operation. In the 1990s, has been removed from the bathing areas on the north and south banks of the bottom sludge with suction dredgers. Today the vegetation is regularly cut and removed by Weed Harvester.
Flora and Fauna
Due to the low depth and the clarity of the water of the lake is a large area covered with aquatic plants: pine fronds ( Hippuris vulgaris), Yellow pond lily (Nuphar lutea) and Chara ( Chara sp.).
Due to the low nutrient supply and the high flux of the stock of phytoplankton is relatively low. Predominant are the diatoms. The second largest group are the golden algae, which are characteristic of clean, cool water and its main deployment is in the spring and in August.
On Pressegger See the largest contiguous Carinthian stock of reeds growing (Phragmites australis). Stocks are up to 3 m. In addition to the other reeds reed plants such Teichbinse ( Schoenoplectus lacustris ) and cutting Ried are ( Cladium mariscus ) is of minor importance. Landward of the reed sedge and alder stands will be replaced. Characteristic plants of this transition region are Carex elata, Menyanthes trifoliata, Peucedanum palustre, Lysimachia vulgaris and Lythrum salicaria. A rare orchid in Central Europe, the gloss -leaved ( Liparis loeselii ), occurs in the silt fens.
The swamp forests around the lake are formed as the only species of the black alder ( Alnus glutinosa). In the area of Seeabflusses here mixes added the gray alder ( Alnus incana ), a Carinthia rather rare vegetation type. At the swamp forests bordering extensive wetlands, home to rare species of plants and in the past the basis for significant Gailtaler horse breeding.
Zooplankton is represented by various groups of animals. Numerous occurring representatives of the rotifers are Polyarthra vulgaris, Gastropus stylifer, Ascomorpha ovalis and Asplanchna priodonta; rarer are Keratella cochlearis, Kellicottia longispina, Ploesoma truncatum and Hexarthra mira. The most common representatives of the copepods is Eudiaptomus graciloides, rare are the predatory Cyclops Bohater and Eucyclops serrulatus. There are six types of Blattfußkrebsen, including Daphnia hyalina.
Characteristic birds that are bound to the reed belt are Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Savi's Warbler and Little Bittern. Typical water birds are mallard, coot and grebes. Moorhen, Little Grebe and Water Rail live in hiding and are rarely sighted. For the Spotted Crake in 1976, there was the last breeding record. Rare breeding birds of the Common Rosefinch and the Aschkopf - Wagtail.
A critically endangered species of dragonfly in Carinthia is the congregation Clubtail ( gomphus vulgatissimus ). In sedges and reed area, the Bulbous whorl snail ( Vertigo moulinsiana ) has its westernmost location in Carinthia.
The lake has 12 species of fish: pike, catfish, chub, bitterling, bream, carp, arbor, roach, rudd, tench, perch and walleye. The crayfish is in the lake as well as in -and outflow still very numerous. In the outflow are carp, roach, Aiteln and catfish most often, the fish population is here due to the structural diversity extraordinarily high (up just under 9,000 kg / ha).
Use
The Presseger lake is a popular, relatively warm bathing water. The history of tourism at the lake begins about 1890 and was due to the remoteness of the Gail valley first rather slowly. However, the summer visitors soon focused in the area of the lake and in the town of Hermagor. After the First World War increased the tourist traffic in 1932 ( a part of Hermagor today ) requested the community Möschach the formation of a place Pressegger See, today alongside Sonnleitn and sun Naßfeld one of three places, which date back to the tourism. A big upswing learned of tourism in the economic miracle of the 1950s. During this time, two campgrounds were built on the lake. 1967 Hermagorer lido was opened. This was refurbished in 1992, was also here the "First Carinthian Adventure Park " opens with a large water slide and Luna Loop.
Fishing on the lake is entitled to a local family. Are caught mainly carp, tench, pike and catfish. In the runoff fishing rights is another family.
Until the appearance of the crayfish and the crayfish was of economic importance. The captured animals were sold in the markets of Villach and Klagenfurt and sent by train to Vienna even.
Conservation area
1970 Lake Pressegg with the surrounding areas has been declared a conservation area ( Gazette No. 89/1970, No. 62/ 1983). It is 416 acres in size.