It is 23.3 m above sea level, and its area is 5.14 km2, its depth nearly 50 m. It is the largest and deepest natural lake in Saxony-Anhalt.

The lake lies on top of a salt dome and developed by repeated caving-in events that continued into historical time; at the end of the 19th century it was believed to have been created by an earthquake in 815 AD.

[1] Hydrologically, the lake is more or less isolated with only a small artificial outflow connecting with the Elbe river via the river Jeetzel.

The town Arendsee and the municipality Schrampe are situated on its shores.

This Altmarkkreis Salzwedel location article is a stub.