Silbersee (Carinthia)

The Silver Lake is located in Villach, on the outskirts of the village of St. Ulrich and close to the Drava. This gravel pond covers an area of ​​8.4 hectares and has a maximum depth of 7 meters. Its surface area is 492 m above sea level. A.

In the south-western part of the lake is an overgrown with grass, reeds and trees island. The lake has no additions or outflows.

History

The lake was created in the early 1970s in the wake of the construction of the Southern Highway in the area of ​​Villach. The jam took place shortly after the beginning of the power plant Rosegg raised the ground water level by more than two meters. Thus, the lake grew considerably and flooded in the western part until then dry lying areas. Some years later it was enlarged in the north and east by further gravel mining backhoe excavators again. After completion of the gravel mining town Villach acquired the lake and its surroundings and built it from a freely accessible recreational area. 1991 Water Ski World Championship was held at Silver Lake, in its preparations, the island was transferred artificially by a few meters. In 2000, at Silver Lake, the "Wakeboard 2000 European per tour" discharged.

On 11 May 2006 the small lake made ​​the headlines again as supposedly a caiman was spotted by walkers, whereupon a multi-day search of the Department of Natural and Environmental Protection of the City of Villach support from the relevant local fire brigade Ortisei, the main fire station Villach and the reptile expert Helga Happ was started. However, a Cayman could not be found despite the laid-out fishing net and helicopter support. A barring order from the City of Villach was lifted after two days.

Recreation area

The Silver Lake is one of the few lakes in Carinthia with year-round free access. It can free bathed in summer and in winter skated free. Furthermore, private tennis courts and four freely accessible beach volleyball courts are available near the lake. Directly on the lake is a pier of the Drau shipping and also the Drau cycle path leads past it.

Origin of the name

The name of the Silver Lake not originated by the way, as is often wrongly assumed from Lake in Karl May Treasure of Silver Lake, but stems from the early days of the lake, as the water is still contained very low organic matter and the environment, a pure gravel landscape without vegetation was here. Then you could see the silvery gleam of water with the sun is low.