Lake Constance: A Natural Summer Playground
Lake Constance (in German, Bodensee) is the third largest lake in Central Europe after Lake Balaton and Lake Geneva. Since it was formed by the Rhine Glacier during the Ice Age, it is a glacial lake.
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Lake Constance Stats
|Mainau, Reichenau, Lindau
|10000 - 100000
|Mesotrophic to eutrophic
Lake Constance Accommodation
Geography and Surroundings
Lake Constance has a total surface area of 571 km2 and is located 395 meters above sea level. The lake is located at the Northern foot of the Alps, on the border between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Its shoreline belongs to the federal states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuttemberg in the German side, the federal state of Vorarlberg on the Austrian side, and the Swiss cantons of Thurgau, St. Gallen and Schaffhausen. The culminating point of the drainage basin of Lake Constance is the Todi, with an elevation of 3614 meters. Since the Rhine, the Bregenzer Ache and the Dornbirner Ache all carry sediments from the Alps into the lake, they are constantly, but gradually decreasing the lake’s depth and coastline extension on the southeastern end.
A number of islands can be found on the lake, of which the three largest are Reichenau (famous for the UNESCO-protected Reichenau monastery), Lindau and Mainau, a preferred tourist attraction. Triboldingerbohl and Langbohl are two other larger islands, though they are inaccessible. Dominic Island and the Island of Hoy are among the many smaller islands dotting the waters of Lake Constance. Numerous peninsulas can also be found on the lake, such as Bodanruck, Mettnau in Untersee, Rohrspitz, Hori and Wasserburg.
Conservation areas offer protection for various plants and animals. The Rhine delta, the area of the Argen River and the Eriskircher Ried on the Obersee, the Aach Ried Reserve, the Seefelder Aach mouth and the Sipplinger Triangle on the Uberlinger See, and the Wollmatinger Ried on the Untersee are some of the largest reservations around Lake Constance.
The Bodensee area is the only area in Europe where there aren’t any borders, since no legally binding agreements exist about where the border should be on the lake. Switzerland considers the border should go through the middle of the lake, whilst Austria reckons that the contentious area should belong to the states on its bank. Germany has an ambiguous opinion. This issue is still under dispute.
Hydrology and Climate
Lake Constance has four main parts: 476 km2 Obersee is the main section, Uberlinger See with a surface area of 61 km2 lies on the north, Untersee with 63 km2 is located on the west, whilst Zeller See and Gnadensee can be found on the northwestern part. The maximum depth of 252 meters can be found on the eastern part of the lake, in Obersee.
The regulated Rhine River arrives to the lake at its southeastern part, makes its way through the Obersee, the city of Konstanz and the Untersee, then exits the lake near Stein am Rhein. It supplies many cities with fresh water, and it is also referred to in German as Bodensee-Wasserversorgunk, meaning Lake Constance Water Supply.
Large parts of the lake have been partially frozen in a number of instances. The lake was completely frozen three times during the last 150 years: in 1830, 1888 and most recently, in 1963. Occurrences of high water levels and floods usually happen in the spring and summer months, after the melting of the snow in the Alps. Some of the absolute highest water levels occurred in the 19th century (6.36 meters on the 7th of June in 1817 and 5.91 meters on the 18th of August in 1821), and on the 24th of May 1999 most recently, with a height of 5.65 meters. A huge flood in the summer of 1999 raised lake levels to 2 meters above normal, with the result of many buildings located on the lake’s shorelines and harbors. In the late August of 2005 a large rainfall raised lake levels by more than 70 cms in a matter of days, washing out highways and railroads.
Although the increasing pollution after World War II raised some concerns, luckily the International Water Protection Commision for Lake Constance quickly took action with some sewage treatment plants, so the water quality is very good these days. The lake’s waters have a seiche response to sharp changes of wind direction. It offers 180 m3 of drinking water which reaches 4.5 million people through 17 major waterworks lines.
Alpenrhein is the main tributary of the Upper Lake, which mixes only partially with the Seewassern, flowing through the lakes homogenously. Dornbilner Ach, Bregenzer Ach, Leiblach, Argen, Sehussen, Rotach and Seefelder Ach are other important tributaries. The Seerheim drains the upper lake and is the main tributary of the lower lake. Average water temperature of Lake Constance is 20OC in July and 15OC in October.
The lake region is known for its mild temperature complete with moderate gradients. During the winter one can witness frequent fog and sultriness in the summer. The foehn is a strong, warm wind, which arrives to the lake from the Alps.
Flora and Fauna
During the 19th century the Lake Constance area was known for having a rich and strong flora, which unfortunately suffered the devastating consequences of deforestation, which affected numerous banks. Several types of orchids and Siberian Irises are conserved in numerous reserves around the lake. The lake area has an excellent climate for growing fruits such as apples, peaches and strawberries.
412 different bird species have been observed around the lake, and especially in natural reserves such as the Wollmatinger Ried, of the Mettnau Peninsula. The common blackbird, the Chaffinch, the house sparrow, the Great Tit and the Eurasian black cap are some of the most frequently-seen species. The region represents an important breeding area for coot and great crested grebes, however numerous birds avoid the area because of the lake’s highly fluctuating water levels.
About 45 species of fish live in Bodensee, and the annual yield of fisheries is 1.5 million kilograms. 57% of the fish are whitefish, 19% are sand whitefish, 17% are perch, 4% bream and 3% lake trout, eel and pike. The rainbow trout is an invasive species, introduced in 1880 with the goal of enriching local fauna. The mud snail (introduced in 1956), the freshwater jellyfish (entering in 1999) and the Danube fish leeches (since 2010) are other invasive species.
The Lake Constance trout was almost extinct in the 1980s as a result of pollution, but thanks to protective measures it has witnessed a significant return. The lake was also home to the now extinct Salvelinus profundus trout species and the Lake Constance whitefish.
Lake Name and Local Culture
The lake was first mentioned in 43 AD by Pomponius Mela, a Roman geographer, who wrote that the Rhine flows through two lakes, and named them Lacus Ventus (Obersee) and Lacus Acronius (Untersee). The Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder referred to the lake as Lacus Brigantinus, named after the Roman city of Brigantium, known as Bergenz today. The lake was also known as the Swabian Sea at one point.
After the Council of Constance, the ecumenical council of the 15th century, the Latin-speaking Catholics gave the lake its current name. It was derived from the city name Constantia, which was, in turn, named after a Roman Emperor. The Bodensee German name was derived from Bodman, which is a town known today as Bodman-Ludwigshafen, located at a nearby branch of the lake, merely 8 kilometers from the city of Konstanz.
A number of prehistoric pile dwellings were found in the area of the Alps and are under UNESCO World Heritage protection as of recently. The German side is known to have 70 such pile dwellings. Some underwater pile dwellings were reconstructed and are exhibited at the Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen.
The area belonged to the Celtic culture in the Iron Age, until it was conquered by the Romans. After that it was Roman property until 260, when the Alemanni settled down here.
Economy and Transportation
The main economical features of the lake are transportation, recreation, drinking water and viticulture. Fishing is also important, but it’s not as meaningful as it used to be. The largest industrial location is Friedrichshafen for its metalwork and Bergenz for its textile industry. Constance, Bregenz, Friedrichshafen and Lindau are the most important service locations.
There were an estimate 1600 fruit farms around Bodensee in 2011, which resulted in a total harvest of 280,000 tons of apples. This meant that every third apple commercialized in Germany originated from the Lake Constance area. Viticulture is also of paramount importance, with grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Muller-Thurgau and Pinot Blanc being raised in the region. It is the highest grape-growing region in Germany, at an altitude of 400-650 meters above sea level.
Rate shipping is dominated by two main car ferry links (from Romanshorn to Friedrichshafen and from Konstanz to Meerburg), the catamaran connection between Konstanz and Friedrichshafen, and a number of seasonal passenger ships like brunch, dinner, party and dance cruises.
Recreation and Leisure
Tourism is one of the most important economic factors at Bodensee. Some of the most significant cities around the lake are Konstanz, Uberlingen, Meersburg, Friedrichshafen and Lindau. Other important attractions are Rhine Falls, the island of Mainau (with a myriad of tulips, narcissi, rhododendrons, azaleas and roses), the church of Birnau, Salem Castle and Old Castle. Zeppelin Museum, Dornier Museum, the Maritime Museum and the Jewish Museum are also visited sites.
The closest airports to Lake Constance are located in Friedrichshafen, Memmingen, Stuttgart and Zurich. The cities and towns around Bodensee are serviced by three national railroads to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Besides 5 main campgrounds, you can find accommodation in guesthouses, B&Bs, hostels and luxury hotels.
Several cable cars run from the cities of the lakeshore to the top of the mountains, such as the Pfanderbahn from Bergenz, offering stunning views over the lake and its surroundings. Numerous trails can be found around the lake for hiking and mountain biking, such as the Bodensee Trail or the Lake Constance Cycle Path. Boating along with watersports such as sailing and waterskiing are some of the preferred summer activities. There are also a few great diving sites with interesting wrecks, such as the Jura, which is located at a depth of 39 meters. The best time for swimming is between mid-June and mid-September, when water temperatures are between 19 and 25 degrees Celsius. Golfing is also possible at the nearby Montfort Golf Club.
Winter hiking, ice skating and cross-country skiing are some of the most beloved winter activities at and around Lake Constance.
Ziwa Constance (Kijerumani: Bodensee) ni ziwa la tatu kwa ukubwa katika Ulaya ya Kati baada ya Ziwa Balaton na Ziwa Geneva. Kwa kuwa ilitengenezwa na barafu ya Rhine wakati wa Enzi ya Barafu, ni ziwa la barafu. Kusaidia Kuongeza LakepediaKama umekuwa Ziwa Constance, tafadhali andika hisia zako kuhusu hilo kwa kutumia fomu hapa chini. Ziwa Constance ni eneo la bahari la karibu na kilomita 571 na iko mita 395 juu ya usawa wa bahari. Ziwa hilo liko kwenye mteremko wa kaskazini wa Milima ya Alps, kwenye mpaka kati ya Ujerumani, Austria na Uswisi. Mto huo unajumuisha majimbo ya Bavaria na Baden-Württemberg upande wa Ujerumani, Vorarlberg upande wa Austria, na cantons za Thurgau, St. Gallen na Schaffhausen. Mto Todi ni mto wa juu zaidi katika eneo la ziwa Constance, na una urefu wa mita 3,614. Mto Rhine, Mto Bregenz na Mto Dornbirn huingiza maji kutoka milimani ya Alps na hivyo kupunguza kina cha ziwa na kupanua pwani yake. Kuna visiwa kadhaa katika ziwa hilo, na tatu kubwa zaidi ni Reichenau (maarufu kwa makao ya watawa ya Reichenau, iliyohifadhiwa na UNESCO), Lindau na Mainau, kivutio cha utalii. Visiwa vingine vikubwa ni Triboldingerbohl na Langbohl, ingawa haviwezi kufikiwa. Kisiwa cha Dominic na Kisiwa cha Hoy ni miongoni mwa visiwa vingi vidogo vilivyo katika maji ya Ziwa Constance. Peninsula nyingi pia zinaweza kupatikana kwenye ziwa, kama vile Bodanruck, Mettnau katika Untersee, Rohrspitz, Hori na Wasserburg. Maeneo ya kuhifadhiwa yanalinda mimea na wanyama mbalimbali. Eneo la mto Argen, eneo la Erskirchen Ried kwenye Obersee, Hifadhi ya Aach Ried, Mlango wa Seefelder Aach na Sipplinger Triangle kwenye Uberlinger See, na Wollmatinger Ried kwenye Untersee ni baadhi ya hifadhi kubwa zaidi karibu na Ziwa Constance. Eneo la Bodensee ni eneo pekee katika Ulaya ambapo hakuna mipaka yoyote, tangu hakuna makubaliano ya kisheria ya kisheria kuhusu ambapo mpaka unapaswa kuwa kwenye ziwa. Uswisi inadai mpaka unapaswa kwenda katikati ya ziwa, wakati Austria inadhani eneo la utata linapaswa kuwa la nchi zilizo kando yake. Ujerumani ina maoni yasiyoeleweka. Suala hilo bado linabishaniwa. Ziwa Constance lina sehemu nne kuu: 476 km2 Obersee ni sehemu kuu, Uberlinger See na eneo la uso wa 61 km2 iko kaskazini, Untersee na 63 km2 iko magharibi, wakati Zeller See na Gnadensee ziko kaskazini magharibi. Kwa mfano, kina cha juu cha ziwa ni mita 252, na kina cha juu cha ziwa ni mita 252. Mto Rhine unaingia katika ziwa katika sehemu yake ya kusini mashariki, hupita kupitia Obersee, mji wa Konstanz na Untersee, kisha hutoka ziwa karibu na Stein am Rhein. Mto huo hutoa maji safi kwa majiji mengi, na unaitwa pia Bodensee-Wasserversorgunk, linalomaanisha Mto wa Ziwa Constance. Sehemu kubwa za ziwa hilo zimehifadhiwa kwa sehemu katika visa kadhaa. Ziwa hilo limekaa kabisa mara tatu katika miaka 150 iliyopita: mwaka 1830, 1888 na hivi karibuni mwaka 1963. Mafuriko na mafuriko ya kawaida hutokea katika miezi ya majira ya kuchipua na majira ya joto, baada ya kuyeyuka kwa theluji katika milima ya Alps. Maji yalipanda kwa kiwango cha juu zaidi katika karne ya 19 (mita 6.36 tarehe 7 Juni 1817 na mita 5.91 tarehe 18 Agosti 1821), na hivi karibuni zaidi tarehe 24 Mei 1999 (mita 5.65). Mafuriko makubwa ya mwaka 1999 yaliongeza kiwango cha maji ya ziwa hilo hadi mita mbili juu ya kiwango cha kawaida, na kusababisha majengo mengi ya ujenzi kwenye pwani na bandari za ziwa hilo. Mvua kubwa iliongeza kiwango cha maji ya ziwa hilo kwa zaidi ya sentimita 70 katika siku chache tu, na kuharibu barabara kuu na reli. Ingawa uchafuzi wa maji uliokuwa ukiongezeka baada ya Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Dunia ulizua wasiwasi, kwa bahati nzuri Tume ya Kimataifa ya Ulinzi wa Maji ya Ziwa Constance ilichukua hatua haraka na baadhi ya mitambo ya kusafisha maji machafu, kwa hivyo ubora wa maji ni mzuri sana siku hizi. Maji ya ziwa hilo huitikia kwa nguvu mabadiliko makubwa ya mwelekeo wa upepo. Inaweza kutoa maji ya kunywa ya 180m3 ambayo hufikia watu milioni 4.5 kupitia mistari 17 kuu ya maji. Alpenrhein ni kijito kikuu cha Ziwa la Juu, ambalo huchanganyika kwa sehemu tu na Seewassern, likitiririka kupitia maziwa kwa usawa. Dornbilner Ach, Bregenzer Ach, Leiblach, Argen, Sehussen, Rotach na Seefelder Ach ni mito mingine muhimu. Mto Seerheim hutiririka kutoka ziwa la juu na ni kijito kikuu cha ziwa la chini. Joto la wastani la maji ya Ziwa Constance ni 20oC mnamo Julai na 15oC mnamo Oktoba. Eneo la ziwa hilo linajulikana kwa joto lake la wastani pamoja na mteremko wa wastani. Wakati wa majira ya baridi kali mtu aweza kushuhudia ukungu mara nyingi na ukungu wakati wa kiangazi. Upepo wenye nguvu na wenye joto, unaofika ziwani kutoka Milima ya Alps, huitwa foehn. Katika karne ya 19, eneo la Ziwa Constance lilijulikana kwa kuwa na mimea yenye utajiri na nguvu, ambayo kwa bahati mbaya ilipatwa na matokeo mabaya ya ukataji miti, ambayo iliathiri benki nyingi. Aina kadhaa za okidi na Irises za Siberia zimehifadhiwa katika hifadhi nyingi kuzunguka ziwa hilo. Eneo la ziwa hilo lina hali ya hewa nzuri sana kwa ajili ya kukuza matunda kama vile apples, peaches na strawberries. Kuna aina 412 za ndege katika eneo la ziwa la Mettnau, hasa katika maeneo ya hifadhi ya asili kama vile Wollmatinger Ried. Ndege mweusi wa kawaida, chaffinch, nyumba sparrow, Great Tit na Eurasian black cap ni baadhi ya spishi mara nyingi-kuonekana. Eneo hilo ni eneo muhimu la kuzaliana kwa coot na grebes kubwa crested, hata hivyo ndege wengi kuepuka eneo hilo kwa sababu ya ngazi ya maji ya ziwa sana fluctuating. Kuna aina 45 za samaki katika Bodensee, na kila mwaka samaki hao hupata kilo milioni 1.5. Kwa mfano, asilimia 19 ya samaki ni samaki weupe, asilimia 19 ni samaki weupe wa mchanga, asilimia 17 ni perch, asilimia 4 ni bream na asilimia 3 ni trout, eel na pike. Kwa mfano, trout ya upinde wa mvua ni aina ya samaki wa asili, ambayo ilianzishwa mnamo 1880 na kuimarisha wanyama wa ndani. Mnyama wa aina ya mud snail (aliyepatikana mwaka wa 1956), jellyfish (aliyepatikana mwaka wa 1999) na Danube fish leeches (aliyepatikana mwaka wa 2010) ni spishi nyingine za uvamizi. Pomboo wa Ziwa Constance alikuwa karibu kutoweka katika miaka ya 1980 kama matokeo ya uchafuzi wa mazingira, lakini shukrani kwa hatua za ulinzi imekuwa na kurudi kwa kiasi kikubwa. Ziwa hilo pia lilikuwa makao ya spishi ya samaki aina ya Salvelinus profundus ambayo sasa imekufa na samaki aina ya whitefish wa Ziwa Constance. Ziwa la Mto Rhine lilitajwa kwa mara ya kwanza katika 43 AD na Pomponius Mela, mtaalamu wa jiografia wa Kirumi, ambaye aliandika kwamba Rhine inapita kupitia maziwa mawili, na aliwaita Lacus Ventus (Obersee) na Lacus Acronius (Untersee). Pliny Mzee, mtaalamu wa asili wa Roma, aliliita ziwa hilo Lacus Brigantinus, jina la mji wa Kiroma wa Brigantium, unaojulikana leo kama Bergenz. Ziwa hilo pia liliitwa Bahari ya Swabia wakati mmoja. Baada ya Baraza la Constance, kanisa Katoliki la karne ya 15, lilitoa jina lake la kisasa. Jina hilo lilitokana na jina la jiji Constantia, ambalo lilipewa jina la Maliki mmoja wa Roma. Jina la Bodensee linatokana na jina la mji wa Bodman, ambao sasa unaitwa Bodman-Ludwigshafen, ulioko karibu na mji wa Konstanz. Nyumba za kale za mviringo zilipatikana katika eneo la Alps na zimekuwa chini ya ulinzi wa Urithi wa Dunia wa UNESCO hivi karibuni. Kwa upande wa Ujerumani, kuna nyumba 70 za aina hiyo. Baadhi ya nyumba za chini ya maji zilizojengwa upya na zinaonyeshwa katika Jumba la Makumbusho la Pfahlbaum huko Unteruhldingen. Eneo hilo lilikuwa la utamaduni wa Waselti katika Enzi ya Chuma, hadi liliposhindwa na Waroma. Baada ya hapo, mji huo ulikuwa mali ya Waroma hadi mwaka wa 260, wakati Waalamanni walipoanza kuishi huko. Uchumi na Usafiri Vipengele kuu vya kiuchumi vya ziwa ni usafiri, burudani, maji ya kunywa na uzalishaji wa mizabibu. Uvuvi pia ni muhimu, lakini si muhimu kama ilivyokuwa zamani. Eneo kubwa la viwanda ni Friedrichshafen kwa ajili ya kazi yake ya chuma na Bergenz kwa ajili ya viwanda vya nguo. Constance, Bregenz, Friedrichshafen na Lindau ni maeneo muhimu zaidi ya huduma. Katika mwaka wa 2011, kulikuwa na mashamba ya matunda 1600 karibu na Bodensee, ambayo yalisababisha mavuno ya jumla ya tani 280,000 za matofaa. Hilo lilimaanisha kwamba kila matofaa matatu yaliyouzwa nchini Ujerumani yalitoka katika eneo la Ziwa Constance. Uzalishaji wa mizabibu pia ni wa umuhimu mkubwa, na aina za zabibu kama vile Pinot Noir, Muller-Thurgau na Pinot Blanc zinazalishwa katika mkoa huo. Mkoa huo ni eneo la juu zaidi la kuzalisha zabibu nchini Ujerumani, na una urefu wa mita 400 hadi 650 juu ya usawa wa bahari. Meli za usafirishaji wa kiwango cha juu zinaongoza kwa viungo viwili kuu vya feri (kutoka Romanshorn hadi Friedrichshafen na kutoka Konstanz hadi Meerburg), uhusiano wa catamaran kati ya Konstanz na Friedrichshafen, na idadi ya meli za abiria za msimu kama vile brunch, chakula cha jioni, chama na dansi. Burudani na Burudani Utalii ni moja ya mambo muhimu zaidi ya kiuchumi katika Bodensee. Baadhi ya miji muhimu zaidi karibu na ziwa ni Konstanz, Uberlingen, Meersburg, Friedrichshafen na Lindau. Sehemu nyingine muhimu za kuvutia ni Rhine Falls, kisiwa cha Mainau (na tulips nyingi, narcissi, rhododendrons, azaleas na roses), kanisa la Birnau, Salem Castle na Old Castle. Makumbusho ya Zeppelin, Makumbusho ya Dornier, Makumbusho ya Bahari na Makumbusho ya Kiyahudi pia ni maeneo yaliyotembelewa. Viwanja vya ndege vya karibu zaidi na Ziwa Constance ziko katika Friedrichshafen, Memmingen, Stuttgart na Zurich. Miji na miji karibu na Bodensee ni kuwahudumia na reli tatu za kitaifa kwa Ujerumani, Austria na Uswisi. Mbali na maeneo matano ya msingi ya kambi, unaweza kupata malazi katika nyumba za wageni, B&Bs, hosteli na hoteli za kifahari. Kuna magari kadhaa ya cable kutoka pwani ya ziwa hadi juu ya milima, kama vile Pfanderbahn kutoka Bergenz, ambayo hutoa mandhari ya kuvutia juu ya ziwa na mazingira yake. Njia nyingi zinaweza kupatikana karibu na ziwa kwa ajili ya kutembea kwa miguu na baiskeli ya mlima, kama vile Bodensee Trail au Ziwa Constance Cycle Path. Boating pamoja na michezo ya majini kama vile kuendesha mashua na skiing maji ni baadhi ya shughuli za majira ya joto preferred. Pia kuna maeneo kadhaa ya kupiga mbizi yenye kuvutia, kama vile Jura, ambayo iko katika kina cha mita 39. Wakati mzuri wa kuogelea ni kati ya katikati ya Juni na katikati ya Septemba, wakati joto la maji ni kati ya digrii 19 na 25. Golf pia inawezekana katika karibu Montfort Golf Club. Matembezi ya majira ya baridi kali, kuteleza kwenye barafu na kuteleza kwenye theluji ni baadhi ya shughuli za majira ya baridi kali zinazopendwa zaidi kwenye Ziwa Constance na karibu nalo.