Waters in the Hohen Tauern

 

Glaciers, waterfalls, mountain streams, mountain lakes and gorges – water shapes the landscape of the Hohe Tauern National Park in many different ways.

 

There are 279 streams in the national park, including 57 glacial streams, as well as 26 large waterfalls and ten gorges. In addition, there are around 500 mountain lakes and numerous waterfalls and gorges.

An overview of the National Park’s most special lakes
  • Kratzenbergsee: Covering an area of around 27 hectares, this lake in the Hollersbach Valley is the largest lake in the National Park.
  • Schwarzsee: Located in the Lungau region, this lake is the deepest in the National Park, with a depth of 56.8 metres.
  • Eissee: Situated at Hochfürlegg in the Uttendorfer Stubach Valley at an altitude of 2,943 metres, this is the highest lake in the National Park.
  • Schödersee: This intermittent lake fills up during the snowmelt or after heavy rainfall and can occasionally dry up completely.
  • Sandersee: Situated at the foot of the Pasterze, the lake is characterised by a branched channel system. Sediments carried by the water are deposited, forming a delta.
The Krimml Waterfalls
Powerful waterfall surrounded by a lush green forest, with mist and sunlight. | © Hohe Tauern National Park holiday region - Mathäus Gartner

The Krimml Waterfalls plunge a total of 380 metres down three tiers. Their fine mist is also the subject of medical research. Medical studies have already investigated the effects of the waterfall aerosol on children and adults with allergic asthma and COPD.

 

Due to the high concentration of ions, the Krimml Waterfalls were re-designated as a natural healing site in 2025.

Water bodies as habitats
Cow by a stream in Wildgerlostal valley with glacier view. | © Holiday Region National Park Hohe Tauern - Daniel Kogler

The waters in the National Park provide habitats for a variety of organisms. Depending on altitude, water temperature, current and nutrient levels, algae, aquatic mosses and other aquatic plants can be found, for example. These provide food and shelter for various aquatic animals.

The inhabitants include microscopic organisms, invertebrates and – depending on the body of water – fish. Some species spend only part of their lives in the water: dragonflies develop there as larvae, whilst the adults live mainly on land and in the air.