Võrtsjärv

The Võrtsjärv ( German Wirzsee ) is named after the Lake Peipsi the second largest lake in the Baltics. He is the largest lake in Estonia.

The Võrtsjärv is located in southern Estonia in the counties of Tartu County, Valga County and Viljandimaa. Its size is 270 km ² (length 34.8 km, width 14.8 kilometers ). The greatest depth of the lake, the süvik Sapi, is 6 m. The average depth is, however, only 2.8 m. Despite its size, the Võrtsjärv is a shallow lake.

It is 33.7 m above sea level. The circumference is 96 km, the catchment area of ​​3100 km ². The lake is completely free of salt. The average air temperature is 4.9 ° C. Võrtsjärv Some 135 days a year is covered by a layer of ice of the lake. Annually, an average rainfall of 591 mm is measured.

The lake has 18 tributaries, of which the most important rivers Väike Emajõgi Õhne and Tänassilma are. The only outlet of Võrtsjärv is the Emajögi ( German Embach ), which in turn flows into Lake Peipus. On the lake are especially in its southern part smaller islands, the largest of which Ainsaar, Heinassaar, Petassaar, Pähksaar, Rättsaar, Tondisaar, Leie, Soolika yes vare Suurkivi, Pikkvare and Heinassaare vare are. In the south the shore is swampy, in the north are mostly sandy.

The lake has 35 species of fish (according to other sources, 27), especially perch, roach, perch, eels, bream and pike. The lake and its shores are a popular nesting area for migratory birds (singing swans, cranes, Wigeon, Scaup and sandpipers ). The lake, with its high phosphorus content strongly eutrophic.