Editing Geography of Switzerland (section)

==Hydrology==
{{Main|Hydrology of Switzerland}}
[[File:Aletschgebiet aus dem Flugzeug.jpg|thumb|Many rivers, such as the [[Aare]], take their source from the Alpine glaciers.]]
Often referred to as the water tower of Europe, Switzerland has 6% of all freshwater reserves of the continent, while only accounting for 0.4% of its total area.<ref>[https://www.bafu.admin.ch/bafu/en/home/topics/water/info-specialists/international-water-protection.html Water: international affairs], [[Federal Office for the Environment]] (FOEN). ("Switzerland is well known as a rich source of water: 6% of Europe's freshwater reserves are to be found in this country, although it only accounts for 0.4% of the total area of the continent."). Retrieved 26-02-2021</ref> The country shares five river basins and some of the largest lakes in western Europe with its neighbours. It is the source of several major European rivers that ultimately flow into the [[North Sea]] ([[Rhine]]), into the [[Mediterranean Sea]] ([[Rhône]]), into the [[Black Sea]] ([[Inn (river)|Inn]], through the [[Danube]]) and into the [[Adriatic Sea]] ([[Ticino (river)|Ticino]], through the [[Po (river)|Po]] and [[Rom (river)|Rom]] through the [[Adige]]).

Most of the great Swiss rivers, being in their origin mere mountain torrents, tend to overflow their banks. Much has been done to prevent this by embanking them, regaining arable land: the Rhine (between [[Bad Ragaz]] and Lake Constance), the Rhône, the Aare, the Reuss and in particular the great works on the [[Linth]] (carried out 1807–1810 by [[Hans Conrad Escher]], earning him the surname of "Von der Linth") and the [[Zihl]] near the lakes of [[Lake Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel]] and [[Lake Biel|Biel]], while the diversion of the [[Kander (Switzerland)|Kander]] from its junction with the Aare to a channel by which it flows into [[Lake Thun]] was effected as early as 1714.

[[File:Klöntal.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Klöntalersee]], one of the numerous Alpine lakes of Switzerland]]
Switzerland has considerable reserves of groundwater and a large number of lakes, large and small, can be found in most areas. The two most extensive, those of [[Lake Geneva|Geneva]] and of [[Lake Constance|Constance]], balance each other, as it were, at the south-west and north-east corners of the land. But neither of these is wholly Swiss, this distinction being claimed by the next in size, that of [[Lake Neuchâtel|Neuchâtel]], [[Lake Maggiore]] (partly Swiss only) coming next in the list, and being followed by the wholly Swiss lakes of [[Lake Lucerne|Lucerne]] and of [[Lake Zurich|Zurich]]. Then come [[Lake Lugano]], [[Lake Thun]], [[Lake Biel]], [[Lake Zug]], [[Lake Brienz]], [[Lake Walenstadt]] and [[Lake Murten]]. These thirteen only are over {{convert|20|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} in extent. Ten of them are in the Rhine basin (also in that of the Aare), two (Maggiore and Lugano) in that of the Po, and one (Geneva) in that of the Rhône. There are no large lakes in the Swiss portion of the [[Inn (river)|Inn]] basin, the most extensive being that of [[Lake Sils|Sils]]. Smaller Alpine lakes such as the [[Oeschinensee]] are innumerable, and often constitute popular tourist destination. Since the twentieth century a large number of dams have been built in the Alps and elsewhere, resulting in many artificial lakes. The largest are the [[Sihlsee]] and the [[Lake of Gruyère]] both approximately {{convert|10|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} in extent. Also notable is [[Lac des Dix]], withheld by the [[Grande Dixence]], the tallest gravity dam in the world.

In total, lakes and reservoirs contain 50% of the stored water, glaciers 28%, groundwater 20% and rivers 2%.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.unece.org/env/water/meetings/ecosystem/Reports/Switzerland_en.pdf| title = Switzerland National Report, Convention on Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. unece.org}}</ref>

[[File:Chexbres - 1 - 2048x712.jpg|thumb|600px|centre|View of [[Lake Geneva]] from the vineyards between [[Montreux]] and [[Lausanne]]]]