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, type = Reservoir
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, designation = Nature reserve
, engineer = André Coyne
, date-flooded = 1959
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, pushpin_map = Luxembourg
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, pushpin_map_alt = Location of Upper Sûre Lake in Luxembourg.
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The Upper Sûre Lake ( lb, Stauséi Uewersauer, french: Lac de la Haute-Sûre, german: Obersauer-Stausee) is a large reservoir in north-western Luxembourg. It is the largest body of water in the country. It gives its name to the commune of
Lac de la Haute-Sûre
Lac de la Haute-Sûre ( lb, Stauséigemeng), (german: Stauseegemeinde) is a Communes of Luxembourg, commune, in the Wiltz (canton), canton of Wiltz in north-western Luxembourg. The commune is named after the Upper Sûre Lake, a reservoir (water), ...
, which was formed in 1979.
History
It was created by the
Esch-sur-Sûre Dam
The Esch-sur-Sûre Dam is an arch dam on the River Sauer just upstream of Esch-sur-Sûre in the Wiltz canton of Luxembourg. The primary purpose of the dam and its reservoir, Upper Sûre Lake, is to provide municipal water supply and hydroelectric ...
which was built in the 1950s to meet Luxembourg's drinking water and electricity needs. The town of
Esch-sur-Sûre
Esch-sur-Sûre ( lb, Esch-Sauer, , german: Esch-Sauer ) is a commune and small town in north-western Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Wiltz, which is part of the district of Diekirch. At one point it was the second smallest commune by area ...
/Esch-Sauer nestles at one end of the lake. Immediately above it, the river has been dammed to form a
hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
reservoir extending some up the valley. Its average surface area is , or about 0.15% of Luxembourg's total area.
Protected area
The region around the reservoir forms the
Upper Sûre Natural Park
The Upper Sûre Natural Park ( lb, Naturpark Uewersauer, french: Parc Naturel de la Haute-Sûre, german: Naturpark Obersauer) is a national park in north-western Luxembourg. Located in the Oesling region, the park is primarily an area of conserv ...
, a Luxembourgish national park. The valley of the Upper Sûre surrounding the reservoir has been designated as a
Ramsar site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
Surrounded by luxuriant vegetation and peaceful creeks, the lake is a center for water sports, such as sailing,
canoeing
Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
, and
kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...
. Such outdoor activities, which make it an attractive spot for tourists, has led to the growth of a local crafts industry. The lake has a very high level of water quality."Water quality in the EU" European Commission. URL accessed 4 June 2006.