Detailed Data
Lake Constance
Partner Living Lakes
Bodensee-Stiftung (Lake Constance Foundation)
Partner Lake since
1998 (Foundation member)
Origin
ice age: glacial river erosion
Age
16,000 years
Ramsar site (since 1976)
Natura 2000 site
Size
today: 540 sq. km [km²]
14,000 years ago: over 1,000 sq. km [km²]
Length, width (Upper lake)
63 km, 14 km
Water volume
48.5 billion of cubic m [m³]
Maximum depth
254 m (in the Upper Lake)
46 m (in the Lower Lake)
Lake sedimentation
0.10 m to 150 m
Sea level
395 m
Catchment area
12,000 sq. km [km²]
In-flows
236 brooks and rivers
Largest in-flow
Alpine Rhine (70 %)
Out-flows
1 (Rhine)
Salinity
fresh water
Precipitation per year
< 800 mm (west-side)
1,400 mm (east-side)
Mean air temperature
8.6 °C
Freezing over (completely)
33 times since 875,
last time in 1880 and 1963
Lake Constance area*)
4,367 sq. km [km²]
Location
Germany, Switzerland, Austria
Vegetation
cultural landscape, 25 % woods
Higher plants
> 2,000 species
Fish
39 species
Nesting birds
151 species
Waterfowl max.
274,000 individuals (1988)
Inhabitants in the lake area
1.3 million poeple: 275 per sq. km [km²] (1991)
Influx rate
53 % (1950 - 1990)
Registered watercrafts
55,907 (31.12.1998)
Lake water, drunk by
4.5 million people
Biggest problem
population growth
Greatest success
reduction of phosphate loading
*) Definition: Keeping the lake clean, socio-economic involvement and coastal water protection
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