Lake of Lucerne
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Lucerne, Lake of
Lucerne, Lake of
(also Lake of Luzern, Vierwaldstätter See), a lake at the foot of the Swiss Alps. The Lake of Lucerne is located at an elevation of 434 m in an intermontane tectonic depression, the bottom of which was smoothed out by an ancient glacier. It consists of four basins interconnected by narrow channels up to 1 km in width. The system of basins and channels is 38 km long and covers a total area of 113.8 sq km; the maximum depth is 214 m. The Reuss River, a tributary of the Aare River of the Rhine River basin, flows through the lake. The water level of the lake rises an average of 0.8–1.0 m in the summer, when water from melting alpine glaciers flows into it. The lake is navigated, and a ferry for motor vehicles operates in the central section. The lake is fished for trout. There are numerous resorts on the shores, including the city of Luzern. The lake is a tourist center.