New lakes
Where the ice retreats, water fills the hollows it carved. About 1,200 lakes have appeared in the areas Swiss glaciers left since 1850.
Every lake, by when it formed
1850–19001900–19461946–19731973–19821982–20062006–2016
First seen
Lakes in the dataset by the period in which they first appear on the images, including reservoirs. Periods differ in length.
Landscape, water and hazard
Most new lakes are small: more than nine in ten are under a hectare. Together they covered 6.2 km² in 2016. They change the landscape, become new habitats, attract visitors and can store water for hydropower.
Some are dangerous. Lakes dammed by ice or by loose moraine can drain suddenly; lakes below steep slopes can be hit by rockfall or ice avalanches and overflow. The Faverges lake on the Plaine Morte and the lake on the Lower Grindelwald Glacier are two that needed engineering to keep them in check. See glacier lake outbursts.
The dataset includes reservoirs that were built in basins once covered by ice, such as those at Grimsel and Mattmark.
The largest lakes in 2016
| Lake id | Canton | Altitude | Area 2016 | First mapped |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #855 | Bern | 1,908 m | 269.8 ha | 2006–2016 |
| #199 | Valais | 2,195 m | 172.5 ha | 2006–2016 |
| #804 | Bern | 2,302 m | 159.6 ha | 2006–2016 |
| #459 | Graubünden | 2,162 m | 103.2 ha | 2006–2016 |
| #676 | Valais | 2,386 m | 57.7 ha | 1900–1946 |
| #914 | Bern | 2,141 m | 46.2 ha | 1946–1973 |
| #671 | Ticino | 2,309 m | 43.9 ha | 2006–2016 |
| #605 | Graubünden | 2,160 m | 42.6 ha | 1900–1946 |
| #984 | Bern | 1,652 m | 27.8 ha | 1982–2006 |
| #487 | Valais | 2,747 m | 19.4 ha | 1946–1973 |
| #919 | Graubünden | 2,586 m | 18.5 ha | 1946–1973 |
| #1155 | Uri | 2,105 m | 14.2 ha | 1973–1982 |
| #395 | Valais | 2,463 m | 13.9 ha | 1850–1900 |
| #935 | Bern | 1,873 m | 13.9 ha | 2006–2016 |
| #483 | Valais | 1,428 m | 11.7 ha | 2006–2016 |
Sources
- Mölg et al. (2021). Inventory and evolution of glacial lakes since the Little Ice Age: lessons from the case of Switzerland. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. doi.org/10.1002/esp.5193
- Mölg, Allen & Odermatt (2021). Glacial lakes in Switzerland since the Little Ice Age [dataset]. PANGAEA. doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.934190