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Lakes in the Canton of Zurich 2026: 47 of 1457 water bodies

Key takeaway
The canton of Zurich has 47 lakes of 0.5 ha or more and 93 officially named bodies of water. Largest lake entirely within the canton: Greifensee (8.22 km²). The highest is the Bachtelweier at 895 m.
Map: the lakes of Zurich, coloured by elevation (darker = higher)1457 water surfaces, 47 lakes. Where did the rest go? 
Lake Finder: search all 93 named waters in Zurich

The national map shows 1457 bodies of standing water in the Canton of Zurich. 93 carry an official name, and 47 of those are at least half a hectare. None of these 47 lakes lies higher than 895 m.

· swisstopo, As of 2026-02
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47
lakes from 0.5 ha
93 named waters
1457
water surfaces
landscape model
895 m
highest lake
Bachtelweier
9
lakes over 10 ha
rank 7 of 26 cantons for lakes over 10 ha
Contents

Number of lakes in Zurich: 47

47 lakes of half a hectare or more, and yet the national map shows 1457 bodies of standing water in Zurich. The gap is not imprecision; it is a way of counting.

How we count: the ConvivaPlus lake method
  1. 11457 water surfaces appear in swisstopo's landscape model for the canton.
  2. 2117 of them are at least half a hectare (5,000 m²).
  3. 393 carry an official name, however small.
  4. 447 are both, named and at least 0.5 ha. That is what we count as a lake.

Anyone reading a different figure has almost always drawn a different line: count every water surface and Zurich has 1457; count only lakes over one square kilometre and you get 3. Even a plain name such as "Weiher" counts as official: what decides is the entry in the swissNAMES3D gazetteer. Namesakes more than 50 m apart count separately, which is why "Walcheweiher" in Winterthur appears twice in the list. Our count states where the line is, so it can be checked.

Lake Finder: find any lake in Zurich

ConvivaPlus Lake Finder
ConvivaPlus · Lake Finder

Every officially named lake in Switzerland with area, elevation and canton. Filter by elevation and canton, search in all national languages.

47 lakes of 0.5 ha or more

Source: swissTLM3D, swissNAMES3D, swissBOUNDARIES3D (© swisstopo, 2026 edition). Area = entire water surface, including the foreign part for border lakes. Elevation = water level in the landscape model. Analysis by ConvivaPlus.

verified · ConvivaPlus

Largest lake in Zurich: Greifensee

The largest lake touching Zurich is the Zürichsee (88.0 km²), but only 67% of its surface lies in the canton. The largest lake belonging entirely to the canton is the Greifensee: 8.22 km² at 435 m.

LakeAreaElevationShare in canton
Zürichsee88.0 km²406 m67%
Greifensee8.22 km²435 m100%
Pfäffikersee3.11 km²537 m100%
Türlersee50 ha644 m100%
Unterer Chatzensee18 ha439 m100%
Hüttnersee16 ha658 m100%
Lützelsee15 ha500 m100%
Husemersee13 ha409 m100%
Oberer Chatzensee12 ha439 m100%
Bichelsee9.7 ha591 m17%

Highest lake in Zurich: Bachtelweier

The highest lake in Zurich is also one of the smallest: the Bachtelweier in Wald (ZH) lies at 895 m and covers 0.65 ha; only 5 of the 47 lakes are smaller.

The canton's lowest-lying lake is a body of water in Pfungen simply named "Weiher" at 378 m. The canton's median lake sits at 525 m. Elevation is the water level in the landscape model; for reservoirs it varies with how full they are. 6 of the 47 lakes in the canton have a dam or embankment (structures in swissTLM3D): Teufenbachweier, Bergweiher, Waldweiher, Sternenweier, Tobelweier and Luppmenweier.

Shared lakes: which lakes Zurich shares

82% of the lake surface in Zurich lies in lakes it does not own alone. Zurich shares 2 of its 47 lakes with other cantons; the table shows how much of each lies in the canton.

LakeCantonsShare in canton
ZürichseeSG · SZ · ZH67%
BichelseeTG · ZH17%
More from the lake atlas
Lakes of St. Gallen →
Lakes of Thurgau →
Lakes of Schwyz →

List of lakes in Zurich

45 of the 47 lakes in Zurich together cover less area than a single lake, Greifensee: 5.07 km² against 8.22 km². An official name does not make a lake: 46 of the 93 named bodies of water in Zurich measure less than half a hectare. The list shows all of them by area, the 47 lakes first, the smaller ones marked.

  1. 1.Zürichsee · 25 municipalities88.0 km²406 m
  2. 2.Greifensee · 6 municipalities8.22 km²435 m
  3. 3.Pfäffikersee · 3 municipalities3.11 km²537 m
  4. 4.Türlersee · Aeugst am Albis, Hausen am Albis50 ha644 m
  5. 5.Unterer Chatzensee · Zürich, Regensdorf18 ha439 m
  6. 6.Hüttnersee · Wädenswil, Richterswil16 ha658 m
  7. 7.Lützelsee · Hombrechtikon15 ha500 m
  8. 8.Husemersee · Ossingen13 ha409 m
  9. 9.Oberer Chatzensee · Regensdorf, Zürich12 ha439 m
  10. 10.Bichelsee · Bichelsee-Balterswil, Turbenthal9.7 ha591 m
  11. 11.Brauiweier · Weisslingen4.6 ha610 m
  12. 12.Ausee · Wädenswil4.3 ha406 m
  13. 13.Teufenbachweier · Wädenswil4.3 ha682 m
  14. 14.Egelsee · Bubikon4.2 ha494 m
  15. 15.Bergweiher · Horgen4.2 ha646 m
  16. 16.Fischbachweiher · Wettswil am Albis4.2 ha525 m
  17. 17.Waldweiher · Thalwil3.8 ha546 m
  18. 18.Stadlersee · Stadel3.7 ha417 m
  19. 19.Fridgrabenweiher · Wettswil am Albis3.1 ha525 m
  20. 20.Sternenweier · Richterswil2.7 ha583 m
  21. 21.Heurütiweiher · Elgg2.5 ha635 m
  22. 22.Mettmenhaslisee · Niederhasli2.5 ha418 m
  23. 23.Gattikerweiher · Thalwil1.9 ha526 m
  24. 24.Chlisee · Seegräben1.6 ha537 m
  25. 25.Stöckweier · Bäretswil1.6 ha787 m
  26. 26.Schübelweiher · Küsnacht (ZH)1.5 ha521 m
  27. 27.Staldenweiher · Fehraltorf1.4 ha563 m
  28. 28.Wildertweiher · Illnau-Effretikon1.4 ha517 m
  29. 29.Ringwiler Weiher · Hinwil1.3 ha679 m
  30. 30.Weiher · Pfungen1.3 ha378 m
  31. 31.Ziegelweier · Dinhard1.2 ha437 m
  32. 32.Rumensee · Küsnacht (ZH)1.1 ha546 m
  33. 33.Seeweidsee · Hombrechtikon1.1 ha550 m
  34. 34.Binzerliweier · Oetwil an der Limmat1.1 ha381 m
  35. 35.Schützenweiher · Winterthur1.1 ha462 m
  36. 36.Tobelweier · Pfäffikon1.0 ha603 m
  37. 37.Büsisee · Zürich0.85 ha436 m
  38. 38.Amtweier · Ossingen0.74 ha408 m
  39. 39.Luppmenweier · Hittnau0.71 ha700 m
  40. 40.Teiliger Weier · Weisslingen0.69 ha600 m
  41. 41.Raffoltersee · Stammheim0.68 ha430 m
  42. 42.Bachtelweier · Wald (ZH)0.65 ha895 m
  43. 43.Gütighauser Weier · Thalheim an der Thur0.61 ha412 m
  44. 44.Fistelweiher · Fischenthal0.61 ha748 m
  45. 45.Chämmoosweiher · Bubikon0.54 ha494 m
  46. 46.Pfaffensee · Kleinandelfingen, Ossingen0.50 ha383 m
  47. 47.Oberweier · Wiesendangen0.50 ha531 m
  48. 48.Chernensee · Neerach0.45 ha419 m
  49. 49.Gurisee · Dinhard, Dägerlen0.44 ha485 m
  50. 50.Buecher Weier · Dägerlen0.43 ha489 m
  51. 51.Kemptweier · Winterthur0.42 ha448 m
  52. 52.Weier · Bauma0.39 ha656 m
  53. 53.Müliweier · Gossau (ZH)0.38 ha473 m
  54. 54.Mädlestenweiher · Hettlingen0.36 ha427 m
  55. 55.Weier · Steinmaur0.34 ha449 m
  56. 56.Leigrueb · Dägerlen0.34 ha471 m
  57. 57.Walcheweiher · Winterthur0.31 ha461 m
  58. 58.Walcheweier · Winterthur0.30 ha467 m
  59. 59.Rümbeli · Dägerlen0.30 ha495 m
  60. 60.Grossee · Kleinandelfingen0.29 ha394 m
  61. 61.Hellweiher · Fischenthal, Bäretswil0.28 ha845 m
  62. 62.Öliweier · Marthalen0.28 ha396 m
  63. 63.Lochweier · Niederhasli0.28 ha450 m
  64. 64.Weier · Hittnau0.24 ha659 m
  65. 65.Hüttenweier · Hittnau0.23 ha627 m
  66. 66.Weiher · Wila0.22 ha590 m
  67. 67.Weier · Neftenbach0.22 ha412 m
  68. 68.Chatzenweier · Rheinau, Dachsen0.20 ha390 m
  69. 69.Räubrichsee · Kleinandelfingen0.20 ha403 m
  70. 70.Bösensee · Dinhard0.19 ha450 m
  71. 71.Cholgruebsee · Kleinandelfingen0.18 ha411 m
  72. 72.Bergemer Weier · Dägerlen0.16 ha463 m
  73. 73.Humbelweier · Hittnau0.16 ha692 m
  74. 74.Entenweier · Brütten0.15 ha600 m
  75. 75.Walcheweiher · Winterthur0.15 ha470 m
  76. 76.Weier · Illnau-Effretikon0.13 ha506 m
  77. 77.Müliweier · Dielsdorf0.12 ha469 m
  78. 78.Weier · Wil (ZH)0.12 ha471 m
  79. 79.Badweier · Hagenbuch0.12 ha550 m
  80. 80.Oberweier · Lufingen0.10 ha496 m
  81. 81.Oberer Luppmenweier · Hittnau0.10 ha715 m
  82. 82.Mördersee · Ossingen0.10 ha384 m
  83. 83.Bucketensee · Kleinandelfingen840 m²394 m
  84. 84.Lochsee · Kleinandelfingen560 m²379 m
  85. 85.Hätteliweier · Andelfingen470 m²435 m
  86. 86.Weier · Oberglatt420 m²430 m
  87. 87.Weier · Benken (ZH)410 m²467 m
  88. 88.Heinrichensee · Kleinandelfingen400 m²396 m
  89. 89.Weier · Stadel350 m²452 m
  90. 90.Linggisee · Marthalen350 m²415 m
  91. 91.Sternenweiher · Winterthur270 m²493 m
  92. 92.Weier · Wildberg250 m²654 m
  93. 93.Äntenweier · Illnau-Effretikon230 m²664 m

Lakes by size: 37 of 47 under 5 ha

37 of the 47 lakes in Zurich are smaller than five hectares. 9 are larger than ten hectares, which puts Zurich at rank 7 of the 26 cantons.

Lakes in Zurich by area
under 5 ha37
5 to 10 ha1
over 10 ha9

Measured by area, the small lakes almost vanish: the 37 of the 47 lakes of half a hectare or more that stay under five hectares together cover less than 1% of the lake surface in Zurich. Zürichsee, counting only its part in the canton, alone covers 82%.

💡Did you know?

In Zurich, only one water surface in 31 on the national map is a lake; across Switzerland, one in 20.

Source: swisstopo · ConvivaPlus

Lakes by municipality: Ossingen, Wädenswil and Zürich tied

Ossingen, on no lake larger than 1 km², has as many lakes of its own as Wädenswil and Zürich on the canton's largest lake (Zürichsee): 3 each. Counted are lakes lying entirely within the canton and in no more than two municipalities; a large lake belongs to many. The Lake Finder can search by municipality.

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🏞️ Switzerland's 891 lakes →🌊 Rivers in the Canton of Zurich →📍 Zurich in figures →

More lake pages

Lakes of St. Gallen57, its own biggest is 68 hashared: ZürichseeLakes of Thurgau38 lakes, 31 smaller than 5 hashared: BichelseeLakes of Schwyz15 lakes, shores on three big onesshared: ZürichseeLakes of Aargau11, its biggest own lake a reservoirneighbouring cantonSchaffhausen lakesLake Constance + 5 ponds under 2 haneighbouring cantonLakes of Zug4, the biggest shared with 2 cantonsneighbouring canton
Written by
Marco Gisler
Marco Gisler

ConvivaPlus Editor · Data & Switzerland

Writes about Switzerland in figures – official data recalculated, counting method explained.

  • Population
  • 26 cantons
  • Waterways
  • Official data
Researched & sourced · for Switzerland
Profile & all articles →Our editorial teamUpdated
Sources & methodology3
Researched & source-checked · for Switzerland
As of: 25.10.2026
01
swisstopo: swissTLM3D (Ausgabe 2026) →water surfaces, area and elevation
02
03
swisstopo: swissBOUNDARIES3D (Ausgabe 2026) →cantonal boundaries for area shares

All information without guarantee. Found an error? → support@conviva-plus.ch

Source: swisstopo (swissTLM3D, swissNAMES3D, swissBOUNDARIES3D, 2026 edition), analysis by ConvivaPlus. Switzerland as a whole: 891 lakes out of 17'873 water surfaces; parts with the same name no more than 50 m apart count as one lake. Area = water surface at the shoreline of the landscape model; reference works using a different shoreline or water level sometimes give other values.

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