Ship landing stages
Landing stages of the Wörthersee shipping line (Klagenfurt, Pörtschach, Velden, Reifnitz, Maria Wörth). Inspection of berth edges.
Waters · Lake
Underwater Inspection at Lake Wörthersee — largest lake in Carinthia
Lake Wörthersee in Carinthia, with 19 km² and a maximum depth of 85 m, is a “warm lake” shaped by dense hotel infrastructure, the Wörthersee shipping line and numerous lido facilities around Klagenfurt, Pörtschach and Velden. ScanSustain inspects the entire lake depth ROV-based — as a multi-day deployment from the Burgkirchen base. Actual deployments are subject to approval by the responsible local authorities, facility operators and shipping administrations.
Characteristic Structures
These structure types can be inspected ROV-based at Lake Wörthersee — subject to approval from local authorities and operators:
Hotel jetties
High-quality hotel jetties along the entire shoreline. Value-oriented condition reporting.
Lido facilities
Municipal lidos (Klagenfurt, Pörtschach, Velden beach baths). Inspection of jetty and platform structures.
Gauge infrastructure
Gauges of the Carinthian Hydrographic Service.
Typical Damage Patterns
What can be professionally captured at Lake Wörthersee — a structured overview of the locally typical damage patterns:
Timber-pile damage
Support piles: fungal attack, insect infestation, pile drift.
Algae growth
Wörthersee as a “warm lake” with elevated seasonal algae activity. Findings capture of the growth layers.
Value documentation of hotel jetties
High-quality hotel jetties are surveyed as part of value-retention and insurance documentation.
On-Site Methodology
Wörthersee water is turbid in summer due to algae activity (visibility 1 to 3 m), clearer in the cold season (up to 5 m). Peak-season inspection requires flexible methodology (sonar + optical combination). A multi-day deployment is typical.
How Deep is Lake Wörthersee?
For method selection in ROV deployments, the lake's depth profile is decisive: near-shore structures such as jetties, landing stages and lido facilities typically lie in the range of 1 to 10 m, while the lake drops off markedly towards the centre.
Maximum depth
85 m — the deepest point lies in the central lake basin. ROV systems cover the entire depth range.
Lake area
Around 19 km² — the largest lake in Carinthia.
Mean depth and the exact position of the thermocline vary by source and season. For projects with accuracy requirements we recommend verifying these values in advance against a current hydrographic source — we do not take them as given unchecked when planning a deployment anyway.
Survey & Mapping at Lake Wörthersee
Beyond pure condition inspection, municipalities, port operators and engineering offices at Lake Wörthersee are increasingly asking for geometric data — for example for the rehabilitation planning of landing stages, the as-built documentation of high-quality hotel jetties or the bathymetric mapping of shoreline sections ahead of a construction project. With Survey & Mapping, ScanSustain offers photogrammetric and multibeam-sonar-based capture that delivers depth profiles, site plans and 3D models in CAD/GIS-ready formats.
At Lake Wörthersee, visibility determines the method: at the seasonally limited visibilities (1 to 3 m in summer, see On-Site Methodology) multibeam sonar delivers the reliable surface geometry; complementary photogrammetric detail capture is useful above all in the clearer cold season. This combination is particularly relevant for gauge structures, berth edges and larger jetty facilities when a geometric baseline is needed for rehabilitation or monitoring.
Regional Authorities and Bodies
Carinthian Hydrographic Service. Water-rights authorities Klagenfurt municipal authority and Klagenfurt-Land district administration. Municipalities of Pörtschach, Velden, Maria Wörth, Reifnitz. Wörthersee Tourism Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Lake Wörthersee from Braunau?
About 200 km as the crow flies, roughly 3 hours' drive. We plan Wörthersee deployments as a multi-day stay.
How deep is Lake Wörthersee?
85 m maximum. ROV systems cover the entire depth range.
Which season is optimal?
Spring (April–May) and late autumn (October–November) — clear water, low algae activity, less tourism.
Does ScanSustain also offer survey and 3D mapping at Lake Wörthersee?
Yes, as part of Survey & Mapping — currently as a pilot service, with photogrammetric and multibeam-sonar-based capture for depth profiles, site plans and 3D models in CAD/GIS-ready formats.
Does an ROV deployment at Lake Wörthersee require official approval?
As a rule, yes. Depending on the facility, the responsible bodies are the water-rights authorities (Klagenfurt municipal authority or the Klagenfurt-Land district administration), the affected municipalities and, where applicable, the Wörthersee shipping line or hotel/lido operators. We clarify responsibility in advance together with the client.
How does summer water turbidity affect the inspection?
Algae-related turbidity reduces visibility in summer to 1 to 3 m. For these conditions we combine sonar and optical capture; in the cold season (visibility up to 5 m) additional optical detail is possible.
Plan a deployment at Lake Wörthersee
Describe your use case — within 1 to 3 working days you will receive a concrete initial assessment with method selection and an effort indication.