Lake of Banyoles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake of BanyolesEstany de Banyoles |
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 Lake of Banyoles
Estany de Banyoles Location in Catalonia
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| Location | Banyoles, Catalonia |
| Coordinates | 42°07′31″N 2°45′19″E / 42.12528°N 2.75528°E |
| Primary inflows | Rec d'en Morgat, Riera del Vilar, Rec Major, Rec de la Font Pudosa, Rec de les Estunes |
| Primary outflows | none |
| Catchment area | 11.42 km2 (4.41 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Spain |
| Max. length | 2,100 m (6,900 ft) |
| Max. width | 750 m (2,460 ft) |
| Surface area | 1.575 km2 (0.608 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 14.8 m (49 ft) |
| Max. depth | 62.4 m (205 ft) |
| Water volume | 12,000,000 m3 (420,000,000 cu ft) |
| Shore length1 | 9.13 km (5.67 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 172 m (564 ft) |
| Islands | none |
| Settlements | Banyoles |
| Official name: Lago de Banyoles | |
| Designated: | 20 December 2002 |
| Reference #: | 1257 |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The Lake of Banyoles (also called Estany de Banyoles) is a natural lake in northeastern Catalonia, Spain. It is found in the "Pla de l'Estany" region, which is part of the Province of Girona. The lake gets its name from the nearby town of Banyoles. This town completely surrounds the lake. On its western side, the lake touches the town of Porqueres.
The lake is about 2,100 meters long and 750 meters wide. Its average depth is around 15 meters. However, in some spots, it can be as deep as 46.4 meters. The lake sits in a natural dip in the land, formed by movements of the Earth's crust.
Today, Lake Banyoles is the biggest natural lake in Catalonia. There was once a larger lake, Lake Sils, about 33 km south. But it was drained in 1851, making Banyoles the largest.
Animals and Plants in Lake Banyoles
The lake is home to many kinds of fish. Some are native, meaning they naturally live there. Others were brought in by people.
- Native fish include the bavosa de riu (river blenny) and the eel.
- Introduced fish that live there now are carp, gardí (rudd), sunfish, tench, and black bass.
Some fish like pike, peix gat (bullhead catfish), and goldfish were brought in during the 1800s. However, scientists haven't found any of these species in the lake recently. This means they might not live there anymore.
Sports and Fun at the Lake
Lake Banyoles is famous for water sports, especially rowing. It was the official rowing venue for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
The lake also hosted the World Rowing Championships in 2004. Many rowers from other countries, especially England, come here to train. In 1991, the Junior World Rowing Championships were also held at Lake Banyoles.
Discover More
In Spanish: Lago de Bañolas para niños
- Banyoles monster
