PRECIOUS RESOURCE:
OUR WATER
When the summer heat drives locals and visitors from the hot valley to cooler altitudes, the Meran 2000 hiking area is often their first port of call. With a light rucksack and short sports clothing, recreational visitors head towards the alpine pastures and summits. And most soon marvel at the lush greenery that accompanies them wherever they go here. There must be plenty of water here...
In fact there are around 100 small springs in Meran 2000 from which natural groundwater flows to the surface. Two larger underground reservoirs supply the community of Hafling with drinking water all year round. And then there are two further, far bigger reservoirs that are filled with the water from surrounding streams and are used for generating artificial snow in winter. From May to October the farmers to the right of the Sinichbach stream, from Falzeben via Oberdorf to St. Kathrein, are permitted to draw water from it to irrigate their meadows and fields. Without this precious resource, the surroundings through which we love to hike so much would rarely be so lovely and green.
The way of the water
Our drinking water primarily comes from rain and snowfall and is filtered by percolating through different layers of rock, being enriched with healthy mineral salts and trace elements in the process. Close to St. Oswald’s Gap, there is also a state-of-the-art plant equipped with UV light that filters the water before it goes into the two drinking water reservoirs. These reservoirs, which, incidentally, also act as extinguishing water reserves for use in the event of a fire, are located close to the Naifjoch mid-station and above the Falzeben Hotel and have a storage capacity of approx. 250,000 litres.
There needs to be a snowy winter and many days of rain spread over the year to ensure that the reservoirs are always well filled. If it does not snow very much or if there is no snow at all, there is less melt water and that, in turn, has a negative impact on the rivers, lakes and groundwater levels. Twice a month the municipal worker, Karl, measures the spring discharges, which are recorded digitally. If they are too low, water saving measures need to be introduced.
In fact there are around 100 small springs in Meran 2000 from which natural groundwater flows to the surface. Two larger underground reservoirs supply the community of Hafling with drinking water all year round. And then there are two further, far bigger reservoirs that are filled with the water from surrounding streams and are used for generating artificial snow in winter. From May to October the farmers to the right of the Sinichbach stream, from Falzeben via Oberdorf to St. Kathrein, are permitted to draw water from it to irrigate their meadows and fields. Without this precious resource, the surroundings through which we love to hike so much would rarely be so lovely and green.
The way of the water
Our drinking water primarily comes from rain and snowfall and is filtered by percolating through different layers of rock, being enriched with healthy mineral salts and trace elements in the process. Close to St. Oswald’s Gap, there is also a state-of-the-art plant equipped with UV light that filters the water before it goes into the two drinking water reservoirs. These reservoirs, which, incidentally, also act as extinguishing water reserves for use in the event of a fire, are located close to the Naifjoch mid-station and above the Falzeben Hotel and have a storage capacity of approx. 250,000 litres.
There needs to be a snowy winter and many days of rain spread over the year to ensure that the reservoirs are always well filled. If it does not snow very much or if there is no snow at all, there is less melt water and that, in turn, has a negative impact on the rivers, lakes and groundwater levels. Twice a month the municipal worker, Karl, measures the spring discharges, which are recorded digitally. If they are too low, water saving measures need to be introduced.
As far as the supply of drinking water is concerned, we in South Tyrol can consider ourselves fortunate. When you think that only 3% of the earth's water is fresh water, and of that only a small percentage of that is drinking water, in our region the precious commodity is comparatively abundant with around 2,000 springs and 50 deep wells – and what’s more, it is of outstanding quality.
Nevertheless – or perhaps because of this – using this valuable liquid responsibly should be a matter of course for us all. Drinking water is our most vital resource and it should be protected accordingly.
The “roaring lake” at Merano 2000
Not many people know that Lake Kratzberger, which is so popular among hikers, is a “weather lake”. According to tradition, the clear mountain lake is one of the so-called “roaring lakes”, which emit audible sounds when bad weather threatens.
Nevertheless – or perhaps because of this – using this valuable liquid responsibly should be a matter of course for us all. Drinking water is our most vital resource and it should be protected accordingly.
The “roaring lake” at Merano 2000
Not many people know that Lake Kratzberger, which is so popular among hikers, is a “weather lake”. According to tradition, the clear mountain lake is one of the so-called “roaring lakes”, which emit audible sounds when bad weather threatens.
