Totesee

Totesee (Germanized: Totensee) is a small natural lake (18 ha or 44 acres) at the Grimsel Pass in Switzerland. The lake lies immediately to the south of the natural watershed and cantonal boundary at the pass. It is therefore in the canton of Valais, and it would naturally drain into the river Rhône in the valley below. However a dam has been constructed to enable its use as a reservoir, increasing its size and raising its level by 16 metres (52 ft). As part of this work, an aqueduct supplies water to the Grimselsee, which drains into the river Aare and thus forms part of the Rhine catchment.^[1][2]

Totesee
Totesee Show map of Canton of Valais Totesee Show map of Canton of Bern Totesee Show map of Switzerland Totesee Show map of Alps
Location	Grimsel Pass, Valais
Coordinates	46°33′37.05″N 8°20′22.91″E
Type	natural lake, reservoir
Basin countries	Switzerland
Surface area	18 ha (44 acres)
Max. depth	34 m (112 ft)
Water volume	2.5 million cubic metres (2,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface elevation	2,160 m (7,090 ft)

In November 2006, the lake's entire trout population died, possibly due to algae.^{[citation needed]}

The name Totensee (also: Lake Toten, literally "Lake of the Dead") is said to be derived from soldiers of Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen driven into the lake by the people of Valais after the Battle of Ulrichen in 1211.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of mountain lakes of Switzerland