ake Gartow is a still water body in the municipality of Gartow and is about 2.3 km long and a maximum of 650 m wide. The outflow at the northwestern end of the lake is via a tributary of the Elbe where the lake's water level is regulated by a dam. The lake was artificially created in the 1970s and is primarily used for recreation. Although the lake is located about 2 km from the Elbe, Lake Gartow can flood during the recurring Elbe floods such as in 2013.