| Upper Sûre Lake | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
  Upper Sûre Lake | |
| Coordinates | 49°54′N 5°52′E / 49.900°N 5.867°E / 49.900; 5.867 |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Designation | Nature reserve |
| Construction engineer | André Coyne |
| First flooded | 1959 |
| Surface area | 3.8 km (1.5 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 43 m (141 ft) |
| Shore length | 48 km (30 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 322 m (1,056 ft) |
| Website | Upper Sûre Lake |
| References | |
| Ramsar Wetland | |
| Official name | Vallée de la Haute-Sûre |
| Designated | 8 March 2004 |
| Reference no. | 1407 |
| Ramsar Wetland | |
| Official name | Vallée de la Haute-Sûre |
| Designated | 8 March 2004 |
| Reference no. | 1408 |
| Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The Upper Sûre Lake (Luxembourgish: Stauséi Uewersauer; French: Lac de la Haute-Sûre [lak də la ot syʁ]; German: Obersauer-Stausee [ˈoːbɐˌzaʊɐ ˈʃtaʊˌzeː]) is a large reservoir in north-western Luxembourg. It is the largest body of water in the country. It gives its name to the commune of Lac de la Haute-Sûre, which was formed in 1979.
History
It was created by the Esch-sur-Sûre Dam which was built in the 1950s to meet Luxembourg's drinking water and electricity needs. The town of Esch-sur-Sûre/Esch-Sauer nestles at one end of the lake. Immediately above it, the river has been dammed to form a hydroelectric reservoir extending some 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) up the valley. Its average surface area is 3.8 km (1.5 sq mi), or about 0.15% of Luxembourg's total area.
Protected area
The region around the reservoir forms the Upper Sûre Natural Park, a Luxembourgish national park. The valley of the Upper Sûre surrounding the reservoir has been designated as a Ramsar site, in Luxembourg and in neighboring Belgium, since 2004.
Recreation
Surrounded by luxuriant vegetation and peaceful creeks, the lake is a center for water sports, such as sailing, canoeing, and kayaking. Such outdoor activities, which make it an attractive spot for tourists, has led to the growth of a local crafts industry. The lake has a very high level of water quality.
See also
References
- ^ "Naturpark Öewersauer - Description". naturpark-sure.lu. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "Présentation & Historique - SEBES". SEBES (in French). Retrieved 30 May 2018.
- ^ "Vallée de la Haute-Sûre". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ "Vallée de la Haute-Sûre". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- "Water quality in the EU". European Commission. URL accessed 4 June 2006.
External links
Media related to Lac de la Haute-Sûre (reservoir) at Wikimedia Commons
Lakes portal
