Kaunas Reservoir

Kaunas Reservoir
Kaunas Reservoir
	Kaunas Reservoir
	Schematic map of Kaunas Reservoir region
Coordinates	54°51′10″N24°10′02″E/ 54.85278°N 24.16722°E
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Nemunas River
Primary outflows	Nemunas River
Basincountries	Lithuania
Max. width	3.3 km (2.1 mi)
Surface area	63.5 km2(24.5 sq mi)
Max. depth	22 m (72 ft)
Settlements	Kaunas,Rumšiškės

Kaunas Reservoir(Lithuanian:Kauno marios,Kaunas Lagoon,Kaunas Sea) is the largest Lithuanianartificial lake,created in 1959 by damming theNemunas RivernearKaunasandRumšiškės.It occupies 63.5 square kilometers, which is about 0.1% of the total territory ofLithuania.The reservoir supports the operations of theKaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant.Its waters cover the Nemunas valley from the river'sconfluencewithStrėva Riverto the dam, a distance of about 25 kilometers. At its widest, the reservoir is 3.3 kilometers across and its greatest depth is 22 meters.^[1]

When the Nemunas was dammed in 1959-1960, the river water rose by 20 metres in 9 months, and at that time there were 35 villages and 700 homes in the flooded area of the lagoon, whose inhabitants were forcibly evicted by theSoviet government.^[2]

The reservoir also supports the operations of 900MWKruonis Pumped Storage Plant,which is situated nearconfluencewithStrėva River.

In 1992, in order to protect the local environment and cultural heritage,Kaunas Reservoir Regional Parkwas established. Ayacht cluboperates in the park.^[3]