Since the beginning of the week, the Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) Elbe, Waren district, has confirmed that the ice cover on Germany's largest inland lake is closed. Not only the Müritz itself, but all of Mecklenburg's upper lakes, which are connected to each other without locks, have now formed ice, resulting in a contiguous ice surface of an impressive 211 square kilometres, an area larger than the German part of Lake Constance (173 square kilometres). This includes the Kölpinsee, Fleesensee, Plauer See and Petersdorfer See lakes. Only at the Malchow swing bridge and under the Petersdorf bridge on the A19 motorway are there still open areas. "This has really rarely happened in recent years, especially when the Müritz is completely frozen over," says Sebastian Paetsch, President of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Fishing Association.
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Warnings despite impressive ice thickness
According to measurements by the WSA, the thickness of the marginal ice is around 20 to 25 centimetres. Measurements at various locations have revealed different values: 16 centimetres in Ecktannen on the Binnenmüritz, 19 centimetres on the Bolter Kanal on the eastern bank, 20 centimetres in Rechlin in the south and 24 centimetres in Sietow and Klink on the western bank. In Waren itself, where the WSA is located on the north bank, the ice is only 16 centimetres thick. The ice is even thinner in places with stronger currents or under bridges. Despite the impressive ice thickness, the authorities warn against walking on the ice. "In general, we strongly advise against walking on ice on lakes," emphasises Domenik Oldenburg from the Elbe Waterways and Shipping Office, Waren district. At the weekend, many ice skaters and walkers could already be seen on the Binnenmüritz, the large bay in the north where Waren is located. Hundreds of ice skaters took advantage of the weather phenomenon in the shallow water areas and on the even shallower Kölpinsee.
Rare natural spectacle
The complete freezing over of the Müritz is a rare event that does not occur every year. The last time the lake was completely frozen over was in 2021. Sebastian Paetsch recalls even more extreme winters: "In 1994/95, the ice was so thick that people were even travelling by car." Back then, the ice reached record thicknesses of up to 60 centimetres. With a length of almost 30 kilometres, the Müritz is the largest inland lake in Germany. It is 117 square kilometres in size and only six metres deep on average. Ice sheets this thick can only develop there when there is little wind and permafrost. Incidentally, the ice is not a problem for the fish. "If it were frozen over for four or five months, it would be a different situation. At the moment, it has a calming effect on the fish population, for example by protecting them from cormorants," explains Paetsch. Ice fishing now only plays a minor role. Many fishermen use the time to maintain equipment or go on holiday. However, a small number of ice anglers are already active - especially on smaller, previously frozen lakes.
Precautionary measures and ice management
Ice saws are available to prevent damage to boat sheds or shore facilities. "We're already in the starting blocks," says Oldenburg from the WSA. As soon as the ice thaws, it can shift and damage structures. If the ice becomes up to 60 centimetres thick - as it did 30 years ago - the Waren spa will have a circular ice saw used to cut out the footbridges and the facilities at the bathing establishment. The pressure of the ice during thawing could otherwise destroy the walkways. It is not possible to predict exactly how long the ice cover will last, even when it gets warmer again. In addition to the temperatures, wind, snow or rain are also decisive factors that influence the ice.
