Grimselsee
Encyclopedia
Grimselsee or Lake Grimsel is an artificial lake
near Grimsel pass
in the Canton of Berne
, Switzerland
. With a volume of 95 mio m³, it is larger than other hydroelectric reservoir
s in the region: Oberaarsee
, Räterichsbodensee
and Gelmersee
. The dam
was completed in 1932 and is operated by Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG
(KWO). It is located in the municipality of Guttannen
.
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,...
near Grimsel pass
Grimsel Pass
Grimsel Pass is a Swiss high mountain pass.-Position:It connects the valley of the Rhone River in the canton of Valais and the Haslital in the canton of Bern....
in the Canton of Berne
Canton of Berne
The Canton of Bern is the second largest of the 26 Swiss cantons by both surface area and population. Located in west-central Switzerland, it borders the Canton of Jura and the Canton of Solothurn to the north. To the west lie the Canton of Neuchâtel, the Canton of Fribourg and Vaud. To the south...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. With a volume of 95 mio m³, it is larger than other hydroelectric reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s in the region: Oberaarsee
Oberaarsee
Oberaarsee is a reservoir in the Grimsel area, part of the municipality of Guttannen, Switzerland. The Oberaar glacier is located west of the lake. Its surface area is 1.47 km². The Oberaar dam was completed in 1953....
, Räterichsbodensee
Räterichsbodensee
Räterichsbodensee is a lake in Guttannen, Oberhasli, Switzerland. The reservoir has a volume of 25 mio m³ and a surface area is 0.67 km².-External links:*...
and Gelmersee
Gelmersee
Gelmersee is a lake in Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. The hydroelectric reservoir was built at the same time as Grimselsee. The reservoir's volume is 13 million m³ and its surface area 0.645 km²....
. The dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
was completed in 1932 and is operated by Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG
Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG
Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG is a Swiss company operating several hydroelectric plants in Oberhasli, Canton of Berne.Founded in 1925, the company had its first power plant, Handeck 1, online by 1932....
(KWO). It is located in the municipality of Guttannen
Guttannen
Guttannen is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.- Geography :Guttannen lies in the Bernese Oberland near Grimsel Pass. It is the highest settlement in the Haslital...
.