No indication of a deeply incised Dana River between Arkona Basin and Mecklenburg Bay

It is generally believed that beginning at its maximum highstand level the Preboreal-Boreal Ancylus Lake was drained by the Dana River via Kadet Channel, Fehmarn Belt and Great Belt. One missing link in this concept is an indication of the Dana River valley in the area between Arkona Basin and Kadet Channel. Joint Danish, Polish and German studies including shallow seismic surveys, sediment sampling, paleobotanical investigations and radiocarbon dating have been carried out in this region since 1989. The results do not confirm the former existence of an incised Dana River draining the Ancylus Lake at the predicted course to a depth level of 32 m below present sea level. On the contrary, there is a Pleistocene threshold of 23 m below present sea level being inconsistent with the expected course and depth level of the Dana River.