Verlandung des Chiemsees, Bayern, Germany - Places of Geologic Significance on Waymarking.com

Silting of the lake Chiemsee

The estuary of the "Tiroler Ache" into the lake Chiemsee is a nature-protected first-class natural monument since 1954. It is essentially the best formed delta in central europe.

Geology:

During the last glacial period the chiemsee-glacier covered swathes of the foothills of the alps. The glacier was scraping a 250 m deep basin of approximately 120 square miles. After melting down the glacier left over ring walls of detritus. These ring walls are a significant sign in the landscape around the lake Chiemsee and the water from the melting glacier filled up the scraped basin. In the course of time the lake was silting up to one third of it's primary size. The evolved land area at the south waterside are predominantly moorlands.

The silting of the lake Chiemsee at the "Achendelta" is continuously under progress due to the immense detrital of the "Tiroler Ache". The 2,5 square mile all-embracing area grows proportionally fast. Within 30 years the annual deposit is approximately 172.000 cbm of detritals and 88.000 cbm of suspended sediments. This incredible amount is easy to calculate: 150 trucks (each loaded with 5 cbm of stones) would have to carry their load to the delta every day. Today the annual deposit seems to decrease, nevertheless there are approx. 170.000 cbm of detritals and sediments. 50.000 cbm will deposit in the estuary, 120.000 cbm will disperse in the lake Chiemsee.

The delta of the "Tiroler Ache" moves forward into the lake approx. 3 acres every year. A calculation demonstrates, that the lake Chiemsee will be silted up from the sediments within the next 8.000 to 10.000 years. To decelerate the the growing and silting a catch basin for detritus (located close by the railroad-bridge) has been installed into the "Tiroler Ache".

Ornithology:

Because of rare bird species the estuary of the "Tiroler Ache" is allocated as protected area all through the year. Not even botanists or scientists are allowed to enter the delta. Therefore a survey of the area is only available from bird's eye view. Smaller viewpoints (including viewing platforms) are accessible at "Übersee-Lachsgang", at the "Hirschauer Bucht" and at "Hagenau" near the village of Grabenstätt. With an area of 5 square miles the estuary and the close-by area "Grabenstätter Moos" are natural monuments of international importance. This area is an integral part of the "Ramsar-Project Chiemsee", protecting wetlands and habitats for wading- and waterbirds.

Within the protected area there are up to 260 different species of birds. 80 to 120 different species are breeding in the riparian forest of the delta, 30 species can only be found within the nature protection area. The most rarely birds within the delta are e.g. the little ringed plover, the common sandpiper, the great ringed plover, the carmine bullfinch and the common tern.

At the beginning of the 50's there were also some purple egrets but they were banished out due to surveying the area by the land surveying office. On some days in autumn onithologists counted up to 10.000 small birds per hour within the prtoected area.

Vegetation:

But not only the birds, even the vegetation is very interesting in the estuary of the "Tiroler Ache". There are two different kinds of riparian forest: ash-sycamore forest and alder-ash forest.

The rare ostrich fern is as domestic as the protected sibirian iris, which is featuring the biggest population at this area within central europe. Also the rare swamp vetchling is domestic at the riparian forest of the "Tiroler Ache".

To protect this sensitive area, the access is prohibited. It is not allowed to enter the nature protection area by foot, any vehicles, via the "Tiroler Ache" or from the seaside! However there is a possibility to take a look into the interesting nature protection area from viewing platforms without destroying the sensitive flora and fauna. There are also boat trips to the boundary of the estuary, from where you can take a look into the protected area.

Waymark is confirmed to be publicly accessible: yes Parking Coordinates: N 47° 51.479 W 012° 31.135 Access fee (In local currency): .00 Requires a high clearance vehicle to visit.: no Requires 4x4 vehicle to visit.: no Public Transport available: no Website reference: Not listed

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