Lake Vegoritida

The Lake Vegoritida (Greek Λίμνη Βεγορίτιδα ), alternative and older designation Ostrovo Lake (Greek Λίμνη Οστρόβου ) is the third largest natural lake in Greece.

Generally

The Vegoritida Lake is located in the north-west of the Greek mainland in the administrative region of Western Macedonia. Its water surface with an area of ​​54.31 km ² divided between the regional districts of Florina and Pella, the latter occupies only a slightly larger portion of the surface of the lake to the east. The Vegoritida lake is located in the north-eastern plateau of Eordea ( Amyndeo - Ptolemais - Kozani Basin) and is surrounded to the west and to the east by mountains. To the west rise directly from the shore the foothills of the Berger Lilakos, in the east the foothills of Vermio. In the north joins the sea shore at a level in which the village lies Arnissa. Further north lie the southwestern foothills of the Massif Vora, the Piperitsa. To the south extends from the shore of the level of Eordaia south. It ranges from the west-southwest of Vegoritida lake located Petre's Lake, as well as to the southwest located Chimatitida and Zazari Lake.

The maximum length of Vegoritida lake is 14.8 km, the maximum width of 6.8 km. The maximum calculated depth of the lake is 46 m - in contrast to most of the Greek natural lakes in the Lake Vegoritida is so very deep. The water level of the lake varies considerably in the course of a year; logical change both the maximum length and width as well as the surface of the lake. Inflows received by the Vegoritida lake, which has the lowest height above sea level of the four lakes of Eordaia, from the other three lakes as well as from the surrounding mountains. Larger rivers leading to the sea water does not. Only the three small rivers Skilthros, Pendavrysos and Soulou lead to the lake water. The water catchment area of ​​the lake is Vegoritida 1853 km ². The natural drainage of the lake is via Katavothren ( Sickerzonen ), which is located on the limestone in which the lake, typically ( karst phenomenon).

The Lake in turn be taken for irrigation of agricultural land in the adjacent levels significant amounts of water. In addition to this removal of water of the lake for the lignite power plants of Amyndeo and Ptolemais is required. The irrigation of agricultural land with the concurrent use of fertilizers leads to a significant pollutants into Lake Vegoritida. In addition to these effluents also reach sewage from the towns and the city of Ptolemais Amyndeo into the lake. Based in Ptolemais fertilizer plant requires a high entry of inorganic nitrogen in Lake Vegoritida. Limnological the Lake Vegoritida 1987 counted among the oligotrophic lakes. In the 1990s, the lake reached by the entry of nitrogen, pesticides and industrial effluents a oligomesotrophes level.

The Lake Vegoritida threatens siltation progresses abstraction and supply at current levels. Back in 1993, found a study of the water balance of the lake Vegoritida that the water balance of the lake is negative for over 30 years. Since the mid- 1950s, 65 % of the original volume of water has already been lost. In 1950, the lake surface was at an altitude of 540 m above sea level, in 2002 there were only 508 m. In the area of ​​the lake fall per year on average 537 mm of precipitation. The maximum amount falls in November, the minimum amount in August. The average annual temperature is 12.1 ° C; January is the coldest, July is the warmest month. The Lake Vegoritida in year-round ice-free.

In addition to the village Arnissa at the northeastern end of the lake, the town of Agios Pandelimonas located on the southwestern end of the lake. The small town Amyndeo is approximately 8 km southwest of the Vegrotitida Lake. Along the west bank between the Lilakos and the lake runs the railway line Florina Amyndeo - Edessa -Thessaloniki, along the eastern shore, but at some distance from this, the National Highway 2 runs ( European route 86) from Florina on Amyndeo and Edessa to Thessaloniki.

The lake has a significant abundance of fish, which is used by fishing from the surrounding villages.

The presence of fish in addition to the water-rich plains north and south of the lake have make this area a place of settlement already in ancient times. North of the lake in the vicinity of the present village of Kella ( Kelli ) the Roman settlement Cellae is suspected, which was located on the Via Egnatia, which passed through the lake to the north. A Neolithic settlement could be detected in the vicinity of the village of Agios Pandelimonas. Russian archaeologists dug here in 1897 the remains of the settlement on the land bridge between the Petre and Vegoritida lake, including a necropolis with 376 tombs together with grave goods. The excavated objects are now in the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul. In the wider area of Agios Pandelimonas remains of other settlements have been found dating from the Bronze and Iron Ages. Was found a 7300 years old wooden floor in very good condition. Furthermore, 358 graves were discovered a necropolis, together with the grave goods contained therein. Obviously, the area of ​​the municipality Amyndeo was constantly inhabited since at least the 6th millennium BC.

Swell

  • Lake in Europe
  • Lake in Greece
  • Macedonia ( Greece)
  • West Macedonia
  • Central Macedonia
  • Amyndeo
  • Edessa (Greece )
Amyntaio Ptolemaida Bronze Age Digital Object Identifier
626191
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