Trial until June 2026

Water can now be pumped into Lake Zicksee

Mayor Michael Schmidt inspecting the Zicksee. "We are happy that we have a closed water cover again. Even if the water is only a few centimetres deep."(Bild: Charlotte Titz)

In 2022, Lake Zicksee in St. Andrä was completely dry. There is now water again. To keep it that way, water is now being pumped in. 

Since yesterday, groundwater has been pumped into Lake Zicksee in St. Andrä from two wells. 100 liters per second are pumped into the pond basin. This trial - which is strictly monitored by the provincial government's water group - will run until June 2026.

The "good old days are unfortunately over"
The water level in the Zicksee used to be around one and a half meters. Much began to change with the construction of a main canal in the 1950s. Since the early 1990s, the lake has repeatedly struggled to dry out, especially in the summer months. After the groundwater level dropped sharply in 2022, it was no longer possible to pump water in - Lake Zicksee dried up completely.

Now - thanks to the good water situation - it can be pumped in again.

"However, the conditions we used to know will no longer exist," says Mayor Michael Schmidt. "A water depth of one and a half meters is utopian. But we want to at least create a closed water cover for the wildlife and for tourism."

Things are looking good at the moment. Even if there is still a lot of green in the Lackenwanne, there are a few centimetres of water. Lapwing, wild goose, white wagtail and co. are happy with that. They can once again be found in abundance on the Zicksee.

Of course, there are regulations on how long doping is allowed. If the groundwater drops dramatically, that's the end of it. But even if the water gets too high and floods any breeding areas for birds, it is turned off. "The water in the Zicksee can be a maximum of 119.35 above the Adriatic," says Schmidt. "But we would be satisfied with that."