Leckner See

The Leckner See is a small mountain lake in Austria’s Molasse zone, set in the municipality of Hittisau at 1,000 metres above sea level. It covers just 1.75 hectares and reaches a maximum depth of about three metres. The Leckner Ache flows through the lake, feeding its clear waters. Chemical tests show the lake is poor in nutrients, with few types of plankton and clean sediments on the bed. Geologists find the lake floor rests on a glacial moraine with low levels of heavy metals. The lake formed in 1817 after a natural disaster turned former meadows into open water. Signs around the shore describe how the event reshaped the land. The lake’s edges hold stands of pondweed and bottle sedge growing in shallow zones. Beyond these, wet meadows of tussock sedge and Davall’s sedge spread out. Experts recognise these habitats as rare and valuable. Visitors walk a path around the lake’s edge, where the water reflects the surrounding hills. The quiet shores allow rare plants to grow undisturbed. The glacial moraine nearby shows layers of stones left by ancient ice. A small stream enters from one side, keeping the water fresh. The whole site offers a glimpse of an unspoilt alpine wetland.