Selenter See
Encyclopedia
The Selenter See is the second-largest lake
in the North German state of Schleswig-Holstein
, after the Großer Plöner See
. It lies at an elevation of and has an area of 22.4 km².
The Selenter See, which lies near the village of Selent
in the district of Plön, is 34 m deep. The lake drains into the Baltic Sea
through the Hohenfelder Mühlenau
, only 10 km long, to the north and by the Salzau
to the northwest.
The formation of the Selenter See goes back to the ice sheets of the Weichselian glaciation, which hollowed out a basin
and simultaneously formed ridges of terminal moraine
up to 132 m high in the east and 90 m high in the south. From a geological point of view the lake is a so-called "tongue basin lake" or Zungenbeckensee.
The lake is well-known inter alia for plentiful supply of fish such as eel
, perch
, pike
, and large and small whitefish
and large quantities of roach.
s and carr
areas as well as the Gottesgabe Wood. It is an important breeding, moulting and resting area for numerous birds including the Kingfisher
, Bittern
, Whooper Swan
, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe
, Crane
and Sea Eagle
. The reserve is managed by a charitable organisation, the LLUR.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the North German state of Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
, after the Großer Plöner See
Großer Plöner See
The Großer Plöner See or Lake Plön is the largest lake in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is located near the town of Plön...
. It lies at an elevation of and has an area of 22.4 km².
The Selenter See, which lies near the village of Selent
Selent
Selent is a municipality in the district of Plön, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is situated at the southern bank of Selenter See...
in the district of Plön, is 34 m deep. The lake drains into the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
through the Hohenfelder Mühlenau
Hohenfelder Mühlenau
The Hohenfelder Mühlenau is a stream, about 10 km long, in the district of Plön in northeast part of the North German state of Schleswig-Holstein.The Hohenfelder Mühlenau is classified as a gravel-bedded stream...
, only 10 km long, to the north and by the Salzau
Salzau
The Salzau is a stream, roughly 8.5 kilometres long, in the district of Plön in the North German state of Schleswig-Holstein.-Course:Together with the Mühlenau it is one of the two tailstreams of the lake known as the Selenter See. At its outlet into the Salzau near Fargau the water level of the...
to the northwest.
The formation of the Selenter See goes back to the ice sheets of the Weichselian glaciation, which hollowed out a basin
Basin
Basin may refer to:* Basin , a poem about Charlemagne's childhood* basin , the area of a drydock which can be flooded and drained* basin of attraction , an area of a nonlinear system with an attractor...
and simultaneously formed ridges of terminal moraine
Terminal moraine
A terminal moraine, also called end moraine, is a moraine that forms at the end of the glacier called the snout.Terminal moraines mark the maximum advance of the glacier. An end moraine is at the present boundary of the glacier....
up to 132 m high in the east and 90 m high in the south. From a geological point of view the lake is a so-called "tongue basin lake" or Zungenbeckensee.
The lake is well-known inter alia for plentiful supply of fish such as eel
European eel
The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They can reach in exceptional cases a length of 1½ m, but are normally much smaller, about 60–80 cm, and rarely more than 1 m....
, perch
European perch
The European perch, Perca fluviatilis, is a predatory species of perch found in Europe and Asia. In some areas it is known as the redfin perch or English perch, and it is often known simply as perch. The species is a popular quarry for anglers and has been widely introduced beyond its native area,...
, pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, and large and small whitefish
Whitefish
Whitefish or white fish may refer to:In fishing terminology:* Whitefish , a fisheries term referring to the flesh of many types of fishIn fish species:...
and large quantities of roach.
Bird reserve
There is a 3060 hectares (7,561.4 acre) bird reserve called the Selenter See-Gebiet which covers the lake and its bordering reed bedReed 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 and carr
Carr (topography)
A carr is a type of waterlogged, wooded terrain that, typically, represents a succession stage between the original reedy swamp and the eventual formation of forest in a sub-maritime climate....
areas as well as the Gottesgabe Wood. It is an important breeding, moulting and resting area for numerous birds including the Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
, Bittern
Bittern
Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, Ardeidae, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family...
, Whooper Swan
Whooper Swan
The Whooper Swan , Cygnus cygnus, is a large Northern Hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American Trumpeter Swan. An old name for the Whooper Swan is Elk; it is so called in Francis Willughby and John Ray's Ornithology of 1676.-Description:The Whooper Swan is similar in...
, Goosander, Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a member of the grebe family of water birds.- Description :The Great Crested Grebe is long with a wingspan. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and pursues its fish prey underwater. The adults are unmistakable in summer with head and neck decorations...
, Crane
Crane (bird)
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...
and Sea Eagle
Sea Eagle
Sea eagle mainly refers to Sea eagle, birds of prey of the genus Haliaeetus.It may also refer to:-Aerospace:* Sea Eagle , British, anti-ship missile* Sea Eagle * Supermarine Sea Eagle, 1920s British passenger flying boat-Sports:...
. The reserve is managed by a charitable organisation, the LLUR.
External links
- Hydrobiological studies of four small streams in Schleswig-Holstein (Salzau, Hatener Au, Kossau and Osterau) at www.schriften.uni-kiel.de (University of Kiel).