Shkoder
Lake is the largest lake on the Balkan Peninsula. It is situated in the
south-eastern part of the Republic of Montenegro, in Zeta-Shkoder Valley,
and in the karstic terrain of the southeast Dinaric Alps in Albania. The
mountains Lovcen, Sutorman, Rumija and Tarabosh lie on the southern side
of the lake, while Shkoder lowland lies on the eastern shore. Its northern
coast is flat, gradually descending toward the lake, and it is covered with
lush vegetation. The southern coast is steep and rugged. Shkoder Lake is
relatively shallow and the deepest part of the lake bed sinks below sea
level, meaning the lake lies in a crypto-depression. Sixty percent of the
lake is in Montenegro, 40 percent is in Albania.
Status
In Montenegro:
National Park since 1983
Ramsar site since December 25, 1995
Strict ornithological reserves:
Manastriska Tapija, Grmozur, Crni Zar,
Panceva Oka, Manastirski Vrbis
Ichthyological reserves:
Underground springs and
Murici beach
In Albania:
Managed nature reserve since November 2, 2005
The total area under protection: 23,027 hectares
(7,799 ha forests and shrubs, 346 ha wetlands, 496 ha costal dunes, 253
ha salty lands, and 14,134 ha agricultural and urban area)
A government decision distinguishes three zones:
A - core zone, B - traditional development zone, C - transition zone.
Geographic
coordinates
19°03’ – 19°30’ East
42°03’- 42°21’ North
Area
Summer season — 370 square kilometres
Winter season — 540 sq km
Average — 475 sq km
Drainage
Basin
5,490 sq km
Shoreline:
168 km
(Montenegro shoreline, 110.5 km;
Albania, 57.5 km
Altitude:
5 m above sea level
Depth:
Minimum 5-9 m; maximum more than 60 m (Radus eye)
Volume:
1.93 cubic kilometres
Habitats:
22,500 hectares of water surface; 7,800 hectares of permanently
flooded area; 5,200 hectares of temporary flooded area; 12,500 hectares
of hills and rocks on southern coast flat and rocky isles, 812.8 hectares
of ornithological reserves.
Climate:
Sub-Mediterranean with mild and rainy winters (average monthly
water temperature in January is 7.3 degrees C. Summers are dry and hot
with maximum temperatures exceeding 40 C and water temperatures of more
than 27 C. The average air temperature is 14.9 C.
Water regime
Shkoder Lake has a peculiar water regime, with water level
fluctuations of up to five metres. The Moraca River, with its two tributaries,
Zeta and Cijevna/Cemi, contributes 62 percent of the lake’s water.
About 30 percent of it comes from underground springs called “eyes.”
The rest comes directly from the mountains or from rainfall. The Bojana/Buna
and Drini rivers play an important role. The Bojana/Buna River flows from
Shkoker Lake at an average rate of 320 cubic metres per second. Combined
with the flow of the Drini River, the lake drains into the Adriatic Sea
at a rate of 682 cubic metres per second. This lake’s water changes
completely 2 to 2.5 times per year.
