Forstsee
The Forstsee is situated in the north of the Wörthersee, embedded between the hills of the Ossiacher Tauern.
You can find the artificial storage lake in 600 m above sea level in the municipality of Techelsberg on Wörthersee.
Utilisation of hydropower. The Forstsee with 29 ha reaches a maximal depth of 35 m at its highest dam level. Situated on a mountain ridge in the north of the Wörthersee this lake shows nearly no special features of natural science. It is in direct connection with the Wörthersee by a pressure line and a power station. The power station Forstsee went in operation in 1925 and was the first storage power station in Carinthia. The power station, directly situated on the Wörthersee was changed into an exhibition power station and opened for visitors. During the pumping operation the water of the Wörthersee is pumped up into the Forstsee. Later it is worked off again.
Because of the connection of Wörthersee and Forstsee they nearly are of no difference as to the water quality and the plankton.
On the woody shore zones of the isolated lake there are a few bathing activities. These zones are formed by rocks, several peninsulas and bays, which are covered by woods. For friends of nature the lake offers a diversified shore zone as well as backland.
It is not far from the Wörthersee, but the visitor can find a very different impression. Apart from the busy events of the centers of tourism on Wörthersee the natural banks in a dreamlike surrounding invite to bathing. Labeled paths make special experiences out of extensive walks.
Walking tour round nature. Along the northern shore of the Forstsee there is a walking tour, leading from Göriach in the municipality of Velden along the romantic Roman Canyon to the shore zone of the Forstsee. At the storage station the path leaves the eastern end of the lake, goes down to the Meterbach and over Tibitsch it climbs up to Sekull. Information charts offer exciting and interesting facts about topics like fishing, visible traces of ice age glaciers, former usage of hydro power and about the marble of Pörtschach .
| Forstsee - Geographic Coordinates |
| Latitude e. |
14,07198324 |
| Latitude n. |
46,63074568 |
| m. a. sealevel |
601 |
| Forstsee - Morphometric Data |
| Surface [km²] |
0,29 |
| Max. Depth [m] |
35 |
| Average Depth [m] |
22 |
| Volume [m³] |
6.500.000 |
| Theoretical Water Residence Time [Years] |
|
| Runoff MQ (1971 - 1990) [l/s] |
|
| Catchment Area [km²] |
2,4 |
14 species of fish (Mr. Oitzinger, verbal information):
Pike (Esox lucius)
Bass (Perca fluviatilis)
Catfish (Silurus glanis)
Chub (Leuciscus cephalus)
Bream (Abramis brama)
Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Bleak (Alburnus alburnus)
Roach (Rutilus rutilus)
Common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus)
Tench (Tinca tinca)
Pike-perch (Sander lucioperca)
Trout bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Sun bass (Lepomis gibbosus)
Krook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Stocking for sport fishing use. Caused by the power station and its settling there is only a little fish production. But they always stocked carp, pike perch, pike, catfish, tench and brool trout for sport fishing.
In the middle of the 19th century the villages around the Wörthersee were still little fishermen`s villages. At that time fishery was practiced more intensively, the profit was much more lucrative. Nowadays there are not so many fish in the lake, but all species have preserved.
On the north shore of the Forstsee you can see the club lodge of the Fishing Association Forstsee. Many activities like fishing competitions for children and grown-ups take place every year.
Municipal Office St. Martin am Techelsberg, phone: +43 (0) 4272/6211-15, mail:
techelsberg@ktn.gde.at
You can find the noble crayfish species
Astacus astacus in the Forstsee, in its inflow and in the Meterbach.