Sandwater
Encyclopedia
The Sandwater near Simonswolde (in the municipality
of Ihlow) in the north German district of Aurich is a shallow, peat-fen (Niedermoor) lake on the edge of the geest
and is one of the few remaining, preserved, natural "inland seas" in East Frisia
. The lake was formed probably during the warm climatic period of the Atlantic (period)
about 5000 years ago, then disappeared temporarily after land uplifting and climate changes, only to reappear about 2000 years ago.
Since 1973 the Sandwater and several surrounding wetland
areas with a total area of 59 hectares (145.8 acre) have been designated as a nature reserve
. The extensive reed bed
s have an important function in providing nesting and feeding grounds for reed breeders and waterfowl
. The expanding beds of common reed, however, are causing the lake to gradually silt up and reduce the area of open water - currently still about 0.223 km² (22.3 hectares (55.1 acre)). Here large carpets of floating plants - the White and Yellow Water Lilies - dominate the scene, and also accelerate the accumulation of mud and silt. Since the lake was dyked at the beginning of the 1960s and the surrounding area drained, the original hydrology
and eutrophication
of the lake has changed considerably. Previously the Sandwater had a particularly rich variety of underwater flora which produced relatively nutrient-rich, clean water (c.f. its name!), for example it contained many rare species of pondweed
as well as von Floating Water-plantain (Luronium natans) and Lesser Water-plantain (Baldellia ranunculoides). Today plants such as Frogbit
, Water Violet, Flowering Rush und Arrowhead
may be seen.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Ihlow) in the north German district of Aurich is a shallow, peat-fen (Niedermoor) lake on the edge of the geest
Geest (topography)
Geest is a type of slightly raised landscape that occurs in the plains of in Northern Germany, the Northern Netherlands and Denmark. It is a landscape of sandy and gravelly soils, usually mantled by a heathland vegetation, comprising glacial deposits left behind after the last ice age during the...
and is one of the few remaining, preserved, natural "inland seas" in East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
. The lake was formed probably during the warm climatic period of the Atlantic (period)
Atlantic (period)
The Atlantic in palaeoclimatology was the warmest and moistest Blytt-Sernander period, pollen zone and chronozone of Holocene northern Europe. The climate was generally warmer than today. It was preceded by the Boreal, with a climate similar to today’s, and was followed by the Sub-Boreal, a...
about 5000 years ago, then disappeared temporarily after land uplifting and climate changes, only to reappear about 2000 years ago.
Since 1973 the Sandwater and several surrounding wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
areas with a total area of 59 hectares (145.8 acre) have been designated as a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
. The extensive reed bed
Reed bed
Reed beds are natural habitats found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions andestuaries. Reed beds are part of a succession from young reed colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground...
s have an important function in providing nesting and feeding grounds for reed breeders and waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
. The expanding beds of common reed, however, are causing the lake to gradually silt up and reduce the area of open water - currently still about 0.223 km² (22.3 hectares (55.1 acre)). Here large carpets of floating plants - the White and Yellow Water Lilies - dominate the scene, and also accelerate the accumulation of mud and silt. Since the lake was dyked at the beginning of the 1960s and the surrounding area drained, the original hydrology
Hydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
and eutrophication
Eutrophication
Eutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
of the lake has changed considerably. Previously the Sandwater had a particularly rich variety of underwater flora which produced relatively nutrient-rich, clean water (c.f. its name!), for example it contained many rare species of pondweed
Pondweed
Pondweed refers to many species and genera of aquatic plants and green algae:*Potamogeton, a diverse and worldwide genus*Elodea, found in North America*Aponogeton, in Africa, Asia and Australasia*Groenlandia, a genus of aquatic plants...
as well as von Floating Water-plantain (Luronium natans) and Lesser Water-plantain (Baldellia ranunculoides). Today plants such as Frogbit
Frogbit
Frogbits or frog's bits can refer to the following plants:*Hydrocharis morsus-ranae - European frogbit*Limnobium laevigatum - Amazon frogbit, South American frogbit*Limnobium spongia - American frogbit...
, Water Violet, Flowering Rush und Arrowhead
Arrowhead
An arrowhead is a tip, usually sharpened, added to an arrow to make it more deadly or to fulfill some special purpose. Historically arrowheads were made of stone and of organic materials; as human civilization progressed other materials were used...
may be seen.