Rotsee
| Rotsee | |
|---|---|
 Rotsee, with a train on theZug–Lucerne railwayin the background | |
  Rotsee  Rotsee  Rotsee | |
| Location | Canton of Lucerne |
| Coordinates | 47°04′11″N8°18′51″E/ 47.06972°N 8.31417°E |
| Primary outflows | Ron |
| Basincountries | Switzerland |
| Max. length | 2.5 km (1.6 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.3 km (0.19 mi) |
| Surface area | 0.48 km2(0.19 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 16 m (52 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 419 m (1,375 ft) |
| Settlements | Lucerne,Ebikon |
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TheRotsee(previously known asRootsee) is a naturalrowinglake on the northern edge ofLucerne,Switzerland. It is regarded as one of the best rowing venues in the world.
Description and location[edit]
The lake and its surrounding area is used for local recreation. All of the lake frontage is a protected area. The lake formed through glacial processes and it is thought that the riverReussflowed through this valley in betweenice ages.There is no notable inflow and virtually no current. Nearby hills protect the lake from wind. It is 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) long. These factors make it an ideal rowing venue and German-speaking rower refer to it asGöttersee,which translates as "lake of the gods". The expression was coined at the1962 World Rowing Championshipsby a Japanese rowing official.[1][2]
TheZug–Lucerne railwayis located north of the lake. The south side of the lake has residential land use. TheRonis a 10-kilometre-long (6.2 mi) creek that is the lake's outflow; it flows into the Reuss atRoot.[3]
History[edit]
Since 1885, the Rotsee was used forice cutting,which was stored in insulated cellars lasting until autumn. Up to 80 people were employed, with the ice used by the hotel industry and brewers. This business ceased during the 1910s whenrefrigeratorsbecame more economical. With its proximity to Lucerne, the Rotsee and its surrounding area has been used for local recreation since the mid 18th century. An army ammunition depot next to the Rotsee exploded in 1916, resulting in five deaths and thousands of grenades being thrown in the lake. Recreational divers spotted some grenades during the 1970s and Police divers have since recovered about 1000 grenades from the lake. Police and army last found grenades in 2020 and it is assumed that there are still more explosives in the lake.[1]
Increasing housing in the area, with sewage discharge into the lake, resulted in ecological decline. The sewage treatment plants built at the lake in 1922 and 1929 belonged to the first installations in Switzerland, but the tension about ecological decline peaked in the 1920s. This gave rise to the founding of a societyGesellschaft Pro Rotseein 1929 with the aim of saving the lake. In 1922, a canal was built that diverted water from the river Reuss into the Rotsee, but since the Reuss was also polluted, this did not significantly improve water quality. Significant improvements were achieved in 1974, when all domestic discharge was diverted to the newsewage treatmentplant in Schiltwald (part ofEmmen).[1]
The society was eventually given a lease of the lake by the city of Lucerne. The name of the society has since changed toQuartierverein Maihof,which leases the lake to this day.[1]
Rowing[edit]
The Swiss national rowing championships, the firstregattaon the Rotsee, was hosted in 1933.[1]European Rowing Championshipswere held here in1934and1947,[4][5]and again in 2019.[6]The inauguralWorld Rowing Championshipswere held in1962,[1]with subsequent world championships in1974,1982and2001.The Final Olympic Qualification Regatta (FOQR) was held at the Rotsee in May 2021 as a qualification event for the2020 Tokyo Olympics.[7]
The lake is the venue for the final leg of theWorld Rowing Cupseries. When a World Championships is also being held in Lucerne (as happened in2001) then no World Cup race is held on the lake.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abcdef"Rotsee"(in German). Quartierverein Maihof Luzern.Retrieved30 July2021.
- ^"Vom Güllenloch zum Göttersee".Neue Zürcher Zeitung(in German). 16 August 2001.Retrieved30 July2021.
- ^"Way: Ron (829622029)".OpenStreetMap.24 July 2020.Retrieved30 July2021.
- ^"Event Information".International Rowing Federation.Retrieved30 June2018.
- ^"Event Information".International Rowing Federation.Retrieved30 June2018.
- ^"2019 European Rowing Championships".worldrowing.com.Retrieved7 June2020.
- ^"The long wait ends as final Olympic qualification is completed in Lucerne".World Rowing Federation.Retrieved30 July2021.
External links[edit]
- Official Rotsee website
- MapArchived7 October 2007 at theWayback Machine
- Quartierverein Maihof(in German)
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