| Upper Sûre Lake | |
| Native Name: |
|
| Type: | Reservoir |
| Designation: | Nature reserve |
| Engineer: | André Coyne |
| Date-Flooded: | 1959 |
| Area: | 3.8km2 |
| Max-Depth: | 43m (141feet) |
| Shore: | 48km (30miles) |
| Elevation: | 322m (1,056feet) |
| Pushpin Map: | Luxembourg |
| Pushpin Map Alt: | Location of Upper Sûre Lake in Luxembourg. |
| Reference: | [1] [2] |
The Upper Sûre Lake (Luxembourgish; Letzeburgesch: Stauséi Uewersauer, French: Lac de la Haute-Sûre, German: Obersauer-Stausee) is a large reservoir in north-western Luxembourg. It is the largest body of water in the country. It gives its name to the commune of Lac de la Haute-Sûre, which was formed in 1979.
It was created by the Esch-sur-Sûre Dam which was built in the 1950s to meet Luxembourg's drinking water and electricity needs. The town of Esch-sur-Sûre/Esch-Sauer nestles at one end of the lake. Immediately above it, the river has been dammed to form a hydroelectric reservoir extending some 10km (10miles) up the valley. Its average surface area is 3.8km2, or about 0.15% of Luxembourg's total area.
The region around the reservoir forms the Upper Sûre Natural Park, a Luxembourgish national park. The valley of the Upper Sûre surrounding the reservoir has been designated as a Ramsar site, in Luxembourg and in neighboring Belgium, since 2004.
Surrounded by luxuriant vegetation and peaceful creeks, the lake is a center for water sports, such as sailing, canoeing, and kayaking. Such outdoor activities, which make it an attractive spot for tourists, has led to the growth of a local crafts industry. The lake has a very high level of water quality.[3]