Lake Constance with almost record-breaking low water: Smelly carpet of algae is spreading
Created: 08/03/2022, 17:30
By: Martina Lippl
A large carpet full of algae floats in front of Eriskirch on Lake Constance.
© Felix Kästle/dpa
Low water prevails at Lake Constance.
A huge carpet of algae swims on the north shore of Lake Constance.
The green layer is gross but harmless.
Langenargen - A green carpet of algae in Lake Constance is currently growing unchecked in front of the communities of Langenargen and Eriskirch (Baden-Württemberg).
He can be seen and smelled from afar.
Hardly any bather dares to go into the water there anymore.
It's not a new phenomenon, but this year it's particularly bad for the community of Langenargen, the SWR quotes the head of the tourist office, Alexander Trauthwein.
Algae carpet floats on Lake Constance - residents and holidaymakers complain about the stench
The green, greasy layer on Lake Constance in the area of the lido is harmless to humans, according to the municipality in the Lake Constance district.
The green carpet of algae consists of multicellular threads that form a network structure.
That is why this alga is also called “water network”.
But the floating carpet of algae also stinks.
"The intensity of this stench was very high and for this reason numerous guests and residents could not stay outdoors for long," said Mayor Ole Münder, according to the announcement.
That's why the algae in Lake Constance are growing so extremely fast
Algae grow quickly in places where there is a lot of nutrients and the water is warm, explains the municipality of Langenargen.
According to the Institute for Lake Research, these factors favored the growth of algae mats in the shore area.
In order to tackle the algae problem, representatives of the municipality, the regional council of Tübingen and the district met at the end of last week.
Above all, the high nutrient load from the Schussen must be reduced.
Algae fug on Lake Constance - suction excavators move against the stinking algae
As a result, unsuccessful attempts were made to fish out the algae with an oil boom.
Getting the algae out of the lake with an excavator and a wheel loader was also unsuccessful.
Collecting the algae by hand is extremely time-consuming due to the greasy consistency.
Another test with a suction dredger is now to follow.
But that would all only be short-term actions with enormous effort.
also read
Trigema boss Grupp on money: He affords 400 hectares of forest - and "helicopters are not to be specified"
Case Ayleen (14): The suspected murderer sued against police surveillance - and was right shortly before the act
In the long term, however, it is important to eliminate the cause of the algae formation, namely to reduce the proportion of nutrient-rich water at the inflow into the lake.
In the opinion of the regional council, the shooting is merely the means of transport - and not the cause.
Lake Constance: water level in Konstanz is now almost 3.30 meters
The water level at Lake Constance is low.
The water level in Konstanz is only 3.30 meters.
This is only around ten centimeters away from the seasonal record for low water.
The Baden-Württemberg State Institute for the Environment assumes that the previous lowest value for this season of 3.17 meters from the years 1949 and 1876 "will be reached or even fallen below" in summer or autumn if little rain continues to fall.
Lake Constance: record low water levels
1949 | 3.17 meters water level in Constance on Lake Constance |
1876 | 3.17 meters water level in Constance on Lake Constance |
Several boats are stranded in Moos harbor because the water level in Lake Constance is low.
© Felix Kästle/dpa
Too little water in Lake Constance - boats have to be brought ashore from the port
Boat owners must land their boats on the western shore.
"We've been out of the water constantly for 14 days," said the harbor master of the municipality of Moos (district of Constance), Martin Graf.
"Actually, we don't have a boat where it's supposed to be anymore." Around a third of the boats at the approximately 400 berths have either been relocated or taken out of the water.
"Water levels are this low from time to time, but not usually at this time of year."
In the summer of 2021, a tornado on Lake Constance made headlines.
A gigantic column of water protruded from the water.
There are incredible shots of the monster in the sky.
"It is assumed that tornadoes become more violent due to more energy in the atmosphere," explained the tornado expert of the German Weather Service (DWD), Andreas Friedrich. (
ml with material from the dpa)