List of lakes of Albania
Albania’s diverse landscape, shaped by favorable weather conditions, significant tectonic subsidence, karst processes and coastal dynamics, is home to a wide array of natural and artificial lakes. These water bodies vary widely in altitude, water flow, geology and climate, influencing their unique morphometric features, water balance and hydrochemical and optical properties.
Lakes are generally categorized based on the origin of their basins, a factor that fundamentally alters their geographical characteristics. The country hosts 247 natural lakes and over 800 artificial reservoirs. Natural lakes, primarily formed through karstic or glacial processes,[1] are further classified into four types: 4 tectonic, 134 proglacial, 94 karst and 15 oxbow.
Additionally, the coastal region features lagoons that collectively cover an area of approximately 150 km2 (58 sq mi).[2]
Lakes
Tectonic lakes
| No. | Image | Lake | Surface area | Max. depth | Water volume | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shkodër | 149 km2 (58 sq mi) | 44 m (144 ft) | 3.3 km3 (0.79 cu mi) | ||
| 2 | Ohri | 111.2 km2 (42.9 sq mi) | 295 m (968 ft) | 55.4 km3 (13.3 cu mi) | ||
| 3 | Prespa | 46.3 km2 (17.9 sq mi) | 54 m (177 ft) | 4.8 km3 (1.2 cu mi) | ||
| 4 | Small Prespa | 4.3 km2 (1.7 sq mi) | 7.7 m (25 ft) | 0.2 km3 (0.048 cu mi) |
Artificial lakes
| No. | Image | Lake | Surface area | Max. depth | Water volume | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fierza | 70.14 km2 (27.08 sq mi) | 128 m (420 ft) | 2.7 km3 (0.65 cu mi) | ||
| 2 | Vau i Dejës | 25 km2 (9.7 sq mi) | 50 m (160 ft) | 0.26 km3 (0.062 cu mi) | ||
| 3 | Ulëza | 13.5 km2 (5.2 sq mi) | 54 m (177 ft) | 0.04 km3 (0.0096 cu mi) | ||
| 4 | Koman | 12 km2 (4.6 sq mi) | 175.5 m (576 ft) | 0.43 km3 (0.10 cu mi) | ||
| 5 | Shkopet | 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi) | 40 m (130 ft) | 0.04 km3 (0.0096 cu mi) | ||
| 6 | Bovilla | 4.6 km2 (1.8 sq mi) | 18 m (59 ft) | 0.105 km3 (0.025 cu mi) |
Lagoons
| No. | Image | Lagoon | Surface area | Max. depth | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karavasta | 43.3 km2 (16.7 sq mi) | 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) | ||
| 2 | Narta | 41.8 km2 (16.1 sq mi) | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) | ||
| 3 | Butrint | 16.3 km2 (6.3 sq mi) | 21.4 m (70 ft) | ||
| 4 | Patok | 4.8 km2 (1.9 sq mi) | 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) | ||
| 5 | Viluni | 3.0 km2 (1.2 sq mi) | 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) |
Other smaller natural or glacial lakes include Lura Lakes, Lake Sheep, Lake Gramë, Lake Buni Jezercë, Lake Dash, Lake Sylbicë, Lake Dhënve, Lake Sope and Lake Malik, which was drained by government's decision.
See also
References
- ^ "The quality of Albanian natural waters and the human impact". researchgate.net. p. 134.
- ^ Engineering Geology for Society and Territory - Volume 1: Climate Change and Engineering Geology (Giorgio Lollino, Andrea Manconi, John Clague, Wei Shan, Marta Chiarle ed.). Springer. 23 August 2014. p. 388. ISBN 9783319093000.