Lake Thun facts for kids
Lake Thun (called Thunersee in German) is a beautiful lake in the Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland. It's nestled among the Alps, which are tall, snowy mountains. The lake gets its name from the city of Thun, which sits on its northern shore.
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Discovering Lake Thun
Lake Thun is an important natural feature in Switzerland. It's known for its clear, blue waters and the stunning mountain views all around it. The lake is quite deep, reaching about 217 metres (712 feet) at its deepest point.
Where Does the Water Come From?
The water in Lake Thun comes from a very large area around it, called a catchment area. This area covers about 2,500 square kilometres (965 square miles). A lot of this water flows in from Lake Brienz, which is another lake located to the southeast. Lake Brienz is actually 6 metres (about 20 feet) higher than Lake Thun, so its water flows downhill into Lake Thun.
Besides Lake Brienz, many other streams and smaller rivers from the surrounding mountains also feed into Lake Thun. One important river that flows into it is the Kander.
Why Does It Sometimes Flood?
Because Lake Thun has such a large catchment area, it collects a lot of water, especially after heavy rain or when snow melts quickly in the mountains. The main river that drains water out of Lake Thun is the Aare River.
However, the Aare River can only carry away a certain amount of water at a time. If there's too much water flowing into Lake Thun, and the Aare River can't drain it fast enough, the lake level can rise. This can sometimes cause local flooding in the areas around the lake.
See also
In Spanish: Lago de Thun para niños
