Grüner See, Mountain lake in Tragöß-Sankt Katharein, Austria.
Grüner See sits at 776 meters elevation in the Hochschwab range of Styria and can reach depths up to 12 meters. The basin fills each year with meltwater from the surrounding karst slopes, flooding paths and park benches.
The basin was originally a grazing meadow that became a local recreation area in the 19th century. In 2016, authorities introduced a complete ban on water activities to protect the natural cycle.
Local people call this place Grüner See because of the translucent color that comes from dissolved minerals in the limestone. Visitors arrive here to see how the water transforms the dry meadow into a flooded basin each year.
Visitors who want to see the flooded landscape should arrive between mid-May and June when snowmelt reaches its peak. Outside these months, the area appears as a dry park with walking trails.
In winter, the water level drops to 1 or 2 meters, and the surrounding area turns back into a walkable park with dry paths. This seasonal transformation makes the lake an unusual natural phenomenon in the Alps.
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