Upper Sûre Lake

The Upper Sûre Lake (Luxembourgish: Stauséi Uewersauer, French: Lac de la Haute-Sûre, German: Obersauer-Stausee) 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.

Upper Sûre Lake
Upper Sûre Lake
Coordinates49.903°N 5.876°E / 49.903; 5.876
TypeReservoir
Native name
  • Luxembourgish: Stauséi Uewersauer
  • French: Lac de la Haute-Sûre
  • German: Obersauer-Stausee
DesignationNature reserve[1]
Construction engineerAndré Coyne[2]
First flooded1959[2]
Surface area3.8 km2 (1.5 sq mi)[1]
Shore length148 km (30 mi)[1]
WebsiteUpper Sûre Lake
References[1][2]
Official nameVallée de la Haute-Sûre
Designated8 March 2004
Reference no.1407[3]
Official nameVallée de la Haute-Sûre
Designated8 March 2004
Reference no.1408[4]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

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 km2 (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.[3][4]

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.[5]

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References
  1. "Naturpark Öewersauer - Description". naturpark-sure.lu. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  2. "Présentation & Historique - SEBES". SEBES (in French). Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  3. "Vallée de la Haute-Sûre". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  4. "Vallée de la Haute-Sûre". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  5. "Water quality in the EU". European Commission. URL accessed 4 June 2006.
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