Waters in the Hohen Tauern

The largest glaciers in the Eastern Alps, the most powerful waterfalls in Europe, raging mountain streams, quiet mountain lakes and mysterious gorges - water appears in many different ways in the Hohe Tauern National Park.

There are 279 streams in the National Park, 57 of which are glacial streams, 26 important waterfalls and 10 gorges. Furthermore, there are 551 lakes, ranging in size from 27.03 ha to 35 m². Of these lakes, 131 have (official) names. The Salzburg part of the national park comprises 200 lakes, of which 140 lakes are in the core zone and 60 lakes in the outer zone.

Special lakes of the National Park at a glance:
  • The Kratzenbergsee in Hollersbachtal covers an impressive 27 ha, making it the largest lake in the National Park.
  • The Schwarzsee in Lungau is the deepest lake in the National Park area with a depth of 56.8 metres.
  • The highest lake, the Eissee, is located in the Uttendorfer Stubachtal, at an altitude of 2943 m on the Hochfürlegg.
  • One of the most legendary lakes in the National Park is the Schödersee. It is a periodic lake that only appears after heavy rainfall or when the snow melts.
  • Another special feature is Lake Sandersee in the forefield of the Pasterze - it has a branched channel system and delta formation takes place.
Krimmler Waterfalls | © Erich Czerny

The Krimml Waterfalls are not only the largest waterfalls in the Alps but also the largest waterfalls in the whole of Europe, which have a healing effect on asthma and allergy diseases.

These fascinating waters of the National Park are not only a feast for the eyes, but also have important functions for the ecosystem.  A multitude of different plants, such as algae, mosses and macrophytes, find their habitat in these waters. These plants are used by countless animals that live under water. However, we are still far from knowing all the species of animal inhabitants of the plants, but those that are known range from particularly small animals (micro- and mesofauna) to those that live on land and in the water (dragonfly, for example) to fish of various sizes.