This is a lovely capture, that makes me wish I had enough money to visit this place in Germany! my favorite thing about this image is your ability to capture the reflection of the sky in the water. The following is just some the result of some pondering I've done after seeing this image ---I feel a more conceptual version of this image would be interesting as well. Imagine, the horizon being placed exactly in the middle of the composition, and the plant matter in the middle removed, with perhaps a slightly lighter image and slightly less saturation.
I know what you mean (the "removing the plants"-part). But I chose the plants for a reason. 20 meters to the right and there wouldn't be any plants on the photo. From the conceptual point of view I have to agree with you. But I looked at it from the landscape point of view. They help the viewer to realize the distance towards the horizon.
---I feel a more conceptual version of this image would be interesting as well. Imagine, the horizon being placed exactly in the middle of the composition, and the plant matter in the middle removed, with perhaps a slightly lighter image and slightly less saturation.