Achensee

Infobox_lake
lake_name = Achensee
image_lake = Achensee.jpg
caption_lake = in autumn
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Tyrol
coords = coord|47|26|N|11|43|E|type:waterbody_region:AT-7|display=inline,title
type =
inflow = Buchauer Bach, Dalfazer Bach, Wankratz Bach
outflow = Achen Bach
catchment =
basin_countries = Austria
length = 9.4 km
width = 1 km
area = 6.8 km²
depth =
max-depth = 133 m
volume = 0.481 km³
residence_time =
shore =
elevation = 929 m
islands =
cities = The Achensee is a lake north of Jenbach in Tyrol, Austria. It is the largest lake within the federal state, and has a maximal depth of 133 metres. Together with the Achental valley it parts the Karwendel mountain range in the west from the Brandenberg Alps in the east.

Water quality is near drinking water, with sight up to 10 m below the surface. An alpine lake, water temperature is accordingly low, rarely above 20 °C. Its size and wind conditions make it suitable for surfing.

Eben am Achensee, Achenkirch, and Pertisau are municipalities on the lake.

History

The city of Innsbruck bought the lake in 1919 from the St. Georgenberg-Fiecht Abbey, who had received it from the rulers of Schlitters around 1120.

Powerplant

Since 1924 the Achensee is managed by the Tiroler Wasserkraft AG (TIWAG), which was founded for this purpose.

Originally, its only outflow was the "Achen Bach" feeding the Isar. Since 1927, when a powerplant in Jenbach was finished, it primarily feeds the Inn, at a level difference of 380 m below. Eight pelton wheels at 500 rpm produce a total of 96 MW.

In winter the level of the lake is lowered by up to 6 metres, accordingly the size of the lake keeps changing. At maximum level the reservoir can store 66 million m³ of water.

Tourism

When the Unterinntalbahn railway was finished in 1859, tourism started to flourish. In order to make the abbey profit, the first steamboat "St. Josef" was acquired in 1887.cite web | title=Die Flotte der Achenseeschiffahrt|publisher=Tirol-Schiffahrt|url=http://www.tirol-schiffahrt.at/start.php?t=0&m=2| accessdate=2008-08-06|language=German] Furthermore the construction of the 7 km long Achenseebahn narrow gauge rack railway was initiated, which went into service in 1889 between Jenbach and "Seespitz". The same year, on July 21 a second steamboat, the "St. Benedikt" went into service. In 1890 the two boats with a capacity of 320 seats transported about 30,000 persons.

In 1911 a third scheduled boat, the "Stella Maris" went into service. It was the first passenger boat on a lake in the Danubian monarchy originally equipped with a diesel engine. The boat was designed for 400 passengers, and featured a particularly silent engine at low rpm, similar to those that later were used in the submarines of World War I.

However, the "Stella Maris" was difficult to manoeuvre. When the lake was bought by the city of Innsbruck in 1919, the boat was renamed into "Stadt Innsbruck". In 1925 a motorboat named "Tirol" was acquired, and in 1927 for the first time more than 100,000 persons were transported.

In 1959 the "St. Benedikt" was replaced with a modern ship of the same name with a diesel engine. In 1971 the "Tirol" was replaced with a larger "Tirol II" for 40 passengers. In 1994 the "MS Tirol" went into service, replacing the "Stadt Innsbruck", and in August 2007 the "MS Stadt Innsbruck" replaced the "St. Benedikt".

Gallery

Unnütz towards Pertisau (SW)
Inntal valley
Achenseebahn with steam boat St. Benedikt (II)

Notes and references

* [http://www.achensee.info Tourist information Achensee]
* [http://www.tirol-schiffahrt.at/start.php Achenseeschifffahrt] boats at the Achensee

Literature

* Naupp, Thomas OSB und Pinggera, Dr. Gert-Klaus: "Stiftsmuseum Fiecht, Dokumente zur Geschichte von St. Georgenberg-Fiecht" (Katalog)
* Armbruster, Karl; Pawlik, Hans Peter: "Jenbach – Achensee. Die Tiroler Zahnradbahn." Slezak Verlag, Wien 1993; 96 S. ISBN 3-85416-149-2

External links

*Commonscat|Achensee
* [http://wikivoyage.org/de/Achensee Achensee] - travel information at Wikivoyage
* [http://archiv-baukunst.uibk.ac.at/archive_showproject.php?id=198 Achensee powerplant] , architecture archive