Tannensee, reservoir
Tannensee is a reservoir in Obwalden that sits high in a mountain valley above 1900 meters, surrounded by tall peaks. An earth dam built in 1958 holds back the water, which is used to generate electricity at a power plant in Kerns, and the lake covers roughly 33 hectares.
The lake was created in 1958 when an earth dam was built to combine several small streams and marshy areas. This transformed the natural mountain landscape into a water storage system for electricity generation as part of Switzerland's renewable energy efforts.
The reservoir represents a transformation of the mountain landscape into a water storage system that serves the local communities. Today, visitors can experience how the place reflects both the natural environment and the practical needs of people living in the region.
The lake is accessible via simple roads and hiking trails with parking areas nearby, open mainly during warmer months from spring through autumn. Visitors should expect cooler weather and changing conditions, especially at higher elevations where snow is possible even in early summer.
Although the lake is an artificial construction, it retains a natural feel with grassy slopes and steep mountain walls that set it apart from typical modern dams. In winter, the surface sometimes freezes, allowing locals to ice skate and snowshoe across it.
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