Wienerwaldsee

Conveniently located; continuous cycle path around

The Wienerwaldsee is a shallow reservoir, 20 km west of Vienna.

Location

It lies on the western highway in a hollow at the Talgabelung between the municipalities Purkersdorf, Untertullnerbach and pressing tree. As a tributary of the River Wien and the Wolf grave creek that flows into the Vienna serves. Thus, the reservoir was initially also Wolf trench reservoir.

History

Initial plans passed in 1781 by architect Wilhelm Bayer. The lake was only industrial water, until recently, used in its construction as 1895-1897 as a drinking water reservoir for the Wientalwasserleitung of Wientalwasserwerks. The contents of the basin, which is formed by a 240 meter long and 13 meter high dam, at that time amounted to 1,430,000 cubic meters. It was built as well as a flood retention basin for the often highly water-bearing Vienna. This purpose is fulfilled by the still lake. The area around the lake is a water protection area.

Monument of Wilhelm Kress

On the north bank, at the parking lot of the Federal Road near the weir, there is a monument of Wilhelm Kress. He had an accident here on October 3, 1901 during a test drive on the water with his seaplane, which was recorded in a twist just before the dam by a gust of wind, dove into the water with his wings and sank. Kress was not injured in this incident.

Water protection area

The Wienerwaldsee which is no longer used as a water reservoir, is still a water protection area and will continue from the MA31 of the City of Vienna ( waterworks ) maintained. Swimming in summer is forbidden, as the ice-skating in winter.

Accordingly, both the lake and the shores are inhabited by rare animals. Of fish are mainly pike, perch, carp and tench to find. Furthermore, the highly endangered dice snake finds a habitat. As birds of gray heron, great crested grebe, the white-fronted and moorhen, and the little ringed plover are worth mentioning. Even the beaver, who settled here several times, whose habitat was disturbed, however, is now up to find permanent residents and even Vienna River.

Gallery

View from the north on the western motorway

Wientalwasserwerk, July 2005

Typical bank vegetation in early summer

Kress Memorial