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LakeQuality

Lakes in Germany

Find lakes in Germany: 1,893 designated lake bathing waters classified under the EU Bathing Water Directive. 1,738 are rated Excellent for 2025.

The same country also has official phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi for 53 named lakes, sampled 2019–2024. Those are nutrient and clarity readings, a different measurement from the Directive's bacteria class.

Updated 2025

Excellent: 1,738Good: 98Sufficient: 18Poor: 3Not classified: 36

Lake map

Map shows 1,946 lakes with coordinates

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Best-rated lakes to swim in Germany

Officially classified Excellent for the 2025 bathing season, ranked by how often that class has held. Full best-lakes list →

  1. Aartal SeeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  2. Abtsdorfer See Saaldorf SurheimExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  3. Achern AchernseeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  4. Aggertalsperre Freibad BruchExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  5. Aggertalsperre Lantenbach CampingplatzExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  6. Ahrensee AchterwehrExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  7. Alatsee Fuessen NorduferExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  8. Alberssee SuedstrandExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  9. AlbertineseeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  10. Albrechtshainer SeeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  11. Alfdorf EisenbachseeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  12. Alfsee Dubbelau SeeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  13. Allensbach Camping UbadeplatzExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  14. Allermoeher See Nord SpitzeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  15. Alpsee Schwangau Badeplatz AlpseeExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons

Every rated bathing water in Germany

Places in Germany

Named lakes

LakePlaceTotal phosphorusChlorophyll-aSecchiYear
Abtsdorfer SeeBerchtesgadener Land29 µg/L4.0 µg/L2.0 m2023
Alpsee Bei SchwangauOstallgäu5.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L11 m2023
AltmühlseeWeißenburg-Gunzenhausen140 µg/L26 µg/L0.6 m2024
AmmerseeLandsberg am Lech7.0 µg/L3.0 µg/L4.0 m2024
AuseeSchwandorf—1.0 µg/L5.2 m2021
BannwaldseeOstallgäu9.0 µg/L6.0 µg/L3.2 m2021
BarmseeGarmisch-Partenkirchen7.0 µg/L5.0 µg/L6.7 m2019
BrückelseeSchwandorf6.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L8.4 m2020
ChiemseeTraunstein8.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L5.5 m2022
DrachenseeCham81 µg/L35 µg/L0.8 m2024
EibseeGarmisch-Partenkirchen5.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L11 m2022
Eixendorfer SeeSchwandorf61 µg/L13 µg/L1.2 m2021
FörmitzstauseeHof19 µg/L6.0 µg/L2.4 m2024
Großer Alpsee Bei ImmenstadtOberallgäu9.0 µg/L3.0 µg/L3.4 m2023
Großer BrombachseeWeißenburg-Gunzenhausen22 µg/L4.0 µg/L3.6 m2024
Großer OsterseeWeilheim-Schongau7.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L3.4 m2023
GrüntenseeOberallgäu24 µg/L3.0 µg/L1.5 m2023
HartseeRosenheim11 µg/L3.0 µg/L4.1 m2022
Hofstätter SeeRosenheim29 µg/L13 µg/L1.1 m2022
HopfenseeOstallgäu28 µg/L12 µg/L1.6 m2022
IgelsbachseeRoth23 µg/L9.5 µg/L2.4 m2024
Kleiner ArberseeCham9.0 µg/L3.0 µg/L3.4 m2023
Kleiner BrombachseeWeißenburg-Gunzenhausen66 µg/L16 µg/L1.4 m2024
KnappenseeSchwandorf9.0 µg/L4.0 µg/L2.2 m2024
KochelseeBad Tölz-Wolfratshausen7.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L4.6 m2022
KönigsseeBerchtesgadener Land6.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L8.9 m2024
Langbürgner SeeRosenheim9.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L5.9 m2024
MurnerseeSchwandorf5.5 µg/L2.0 µg/L8.3 m2020
Niedersonthofener SeeOberallgäu12 µg/L3.0 µg/L3.4 m2024
OberseeBerchtesgadener Land7.0 µg/L3.0 µg/L12 m2022
Pelhamer SeeRosenheim22 µg/L5.0 µg/L2.0 m2022
PilsenseeStarnberg10 µg/L5.0 µg/L3.0 m2024
RachelseeFreyung-Grafenau7.5 µg/L7.0 µg/L1.5 m2023
RiegseeGarmisch-Partenkirchen12 µg/L5.0 µg/L4.3 m2024
RothseeRoth44 µg/L4.0 µg/L2.5 m2024
RottachseeOberallgäu14 µg/L2.0 µg/L2.9 m2024
SchlierseeMiesbach10 µg/L7.0 µg/L2.6 m2024
Seehamer SeeMiesbach15 µg/L3.0 µg/L3.1 m2023
SimsseeRosenheim14 µg/L6.0 µg/L2.9 m2023
StaffelseeGarmisch-Partenkirchen11 µg/L2.5 µg/L3.3 m2022
Starnberger SeeStarnberg6.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L6.2 m2023
Steinberger SeeSchwandorf7.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L6.0 m2024
SylvensteinseeBad Tölz-Wolfratshausen6.0 µg/L1.0 µg/L4.0 m2024
Tachinger SeeTraunstein11 µg/L7.0 µg/L2.9 m2024
TegernseeMiesbach6.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L5.2 m2023
Trinkwassertalsperre FrauenauRegen6.0 µg/L4.0 µg/L3.1 m2022
Trinkwassertalsperre MauthausKronach—2.0 µg/L—2021
UntreuseeHof16 µg/L7.0 µg/L2.5 m2022
Waginger SeeTraunstein17 µg/L3.0 µg/L3.3 m2024
WalchenseeBad Tölz-Wolfratshausen—1.0 µg/L5.3 m2024
WeißenseeOstallgäu9.0 µg/L3.0 µg/L2.6 m2022
WeitseeTraunstein6.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L9.0 m2023
WörthseeStarnberg6.0 µg/L2.0 µg/L4.5 m2023

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Frequently asked questions

Which lakes in Germany are best to swim in?
1,738 of 1,893 designated bathing waters in Germany are rated Excellent for 2025 under the EU Bathing Water Directive. That class measures E. coli and intestinal enterococci only — it is not a safety clearance.
Is it safe to swim in Germany lakes?
The official class is a bacteriological rating, not a safety clearance. It does not cover algal blooms, nutrients, water clarity, currents, or depth. Conditions change after heavy rain. Check local signage and the operator's current notices before entering the water.
How is lake water quality measured in Germany?
53 named lakes in Germany have official phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi from the Bavarian Environment Agency (LfU) Gewässerkundlicher Dienst, 2019–2024. These are the authority's own measurements, shown as reported.
Whose ratings do the Germany lake pages show?
The publishing authority's own. Pages for lakes in Germany show the values and classes that authority reports, with the season or year each was taken.

Lakes in other countries

Lakes in Europe

Directory of official lake water quality

Lake campgrounds in Europe

Rated bathing waters at campgrounds

Best lakes in Germany

Excellent-rated bathing waters

Campgrounds in Germany

Rated lake campgrounds

Clearest lakes in Germany

Named lakes ranked by Secchi

Lakes in France

Water quality for lakes in France

Lakes in Italy

Water quality for lakes in Italy

Lakes in Netherlands

Water quality for lakes in Netherlands

Lakes in Poland

Water quality for lakes in Poland

Lakes in Austria

Water quality for lakes in Austria

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Water quality for lakes in Hungary

Lakes in Finland

Water quality for lakes in Finland

Lakes in Sweden

Water quality for lakes in Sweden

Where to stay near Germany

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Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), Bathing Water Directive. CC-BY 4.0.

Official surface phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and/or Secchi. Published as the authority reports it on this scale.

Monitoring: the Bavarian Environment Agency (LfU) Gewässerkundlicher Dienst.