Lake Orestiada

Lake Orestiada
Lake Orestiada
Lake of Kastoria
Λίμνη Ορεστιάδα(Greek)
	Lake ofKastoria
	Lake Orestiada
Location	Kastoria regional unit,Macedonia,Greece
Coordinates	40°30′54″N21°18′00″E/ 40.51500°N 21.30000°E
Basincountries	Greece
Surface area	28 km2(11 sq mi)
Surface elevation	630 m (2,070 ft)

Lake OrestiadaorLake of Kastoria(Greek:Λίμνη Ορεστιάδα) is alakein theKastoria regional unitofMacedonia,northwesternGreece.It spreads out in a natural basin, surrounded by mountains and is the remnant of a huge ancient Miocene lake that reached an area of 164 square kilometres and at a depth of 50 meters. Sitting at an altitude of 630 metres, the lake covers an area of 28 square kilometres with a coastline that reaches 34 km. The maximum depth of the lake reaches about 9 meters and the average depth 4.5 meters.

To the north-east rises Mount Vitsi, to the north-west Mount Triklarios and to the south-west spread the foothills of Voios. Lake Orestiada is mainly refreshed by the waters that descend from Mount Vitsi through Xiropotamos on the eastern banks, but also by smaller streams, such as Aposkepos, Foudouklis, Istakos, Fotini, Metamorfosi, Toichi, Agios Athanasios and Vyssinia.

Its catchment area reaches 267 square kilometres.

Nine rivulets flow into the lake, and it drains into theHaliacmonriver, via the small Gioli stream. Its depth varies from nine to ten metres. To the west, the Kastoria Peninsula (with the town ofKastoria) divides the lake into two parts, the larger to the north and the smaller to the south, giving the lake its characteristic kidney shape.

The lake takes its name from theOreiades.Lakeside attractions include, apart from the Byzantine architectural heritage of the town, an 11th-century Byzantinemonastery of Panagia Mavriotissaand the reconstructed prehistoric settlement ofDispilio,where theDispilio Tabletwas retrieved from the lake in 1992. The lake is known to freeze in winters, for 2 to 5 weeks.

Orestiadais surrounded by wooded hills, wet meadows, reedbeds, lakeside forests, marshes and fields, habitats that support a rich birdlife. It is a eutrophic lake, which is due to agricultural waste from crops and chronic pollution from the city's municipal sewage.

To the north-west of the lake stretches a lakeside forest of willows, poplars and alders. To the east and south, reside seasonal wetlands and reedbeds of reeds. Around the perimeter of the lake, burla and mats grow.

Dominant trees around the lake are sycamores with the vegetation complemented by elms, cranberries, blackberries and wild roses. Aquatic plants include most honorably the water chestnutWater caltrop(orTrapa natans), theNajas marinasub-species major,Stuckenia pectinata,Potamogeton species, includingPotamogeton crispuswater lilies,Potamogeton natans,Potamogeton perfoliatusandPotamogeton lucens,Azolla filiculoides,the hornwortsCeratophyllum demersumandCeratophyllum submersum,Persicaria amphibia,Myriophyllum spicatum,water liliesNymphaea albaandNuphar lutea,Hydrocharis morsus-ranae,Lemna gibba,Spirodela polyrhizaamong many.

The flora around the lake and on the peninsula includes rare and beautiful species. In this category, are featured the lily speciesLilium candidumandGaleopsis ladanumthe iris speciesIris pseudacorus,Stachys palustris,theLeucojum aestivumaestivum sub-species, as well as the aquatic plant sub-species ofDelphinium balcanicumandButomus umbellatus.

In the surrounding hills, blooms the rare sub-speciesPulsatilla halleri. Other plants of the region feature theCentaurea graecacentaurea species, theScutellaria galericulataperennial herb sub-species, theParonychia macedonicasub-species of paronychia plants, theCampanula versicolorvariant,Althaea officinalis,Verbascum flavidum,Clematis viticellaclematis sub-species,Alisma plantago-aquatica Rorippa amphibia,Oenanthe aquatica,Eleocharis palustris,Lythrum salicaria,Galium palustre,Veronica anagallis-aquatica,Mentha aquatica,Nasturtium officinale(orWatercress), theSparganium erectumsparganiumperennial plant sub-species, andHelosciadium nodiflorumamong many.

Lake Orestiada marks more than 200 species of birds to have been observed, 90 of which breed here.

Pelican sub-species, such as the silver pelican, the rose pelican, geese sub-species such as gray goose and heron species are important.

In Lake Orestiada, resides the largest breeding place of the mute swan in Greece.

Predators include vultures and its sub-species of griffon vultures, spotted vultures, reed vultures, meadow vultures, winter vultures. Other birds, such as buzzards, hawks, falcons, sledgehammers, rock kestrels, black kestrels, harrier sub-species including dwarf harriers, tree harriers and peregrines

Nocturnal raptors include owls and its sub-species of pygmy owls, other birds such as buzzards. Among ducks, rare coots, barbarians, teals, whistlings, sardines, grebes, mallards and black-headed ducks also live here.