Prespa Lake, Macedonia

Prespa Lake is a tectonic lake located in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia.

It is located between the western branches of Baba Mountain east and eastern branches Galicica west and Suva Gora Gladno Pole to the south and southwest.

Stenje Beach, Prespa Lake, Macedonia
Stenje Beach, Prespa Lake, Macedonia – 16.02.2020

 

The greatest length of the lake in direction North-South is 28.6 km, and its greatest width is 16.9 km. It lies at an altitude of 853 meters, covers an area of 274 km 2, of which 176.8 km2 or 64.5% belong to Macedonia, 49.4 km2, or 18.1% to Albania, 47 8 km2 to 17.4% to Greece.

The maximum depth of the lake is 54.2 meters and it is located near the area Golubina, while the average depth is 18.76 m.

 

Prespa Lake, Stenje Beach, Macedonia
Stenje Beach, Prespa Lake, Macedonia – 16.02.2020

 

Prespa Lake, Stenje Beach, Macedonia
Stenje Beach, Prespa Lake, Macedonia – 16.02.2020

 

Accumulated in the lake basin is total 4.775 km3 of water. Filled water from precipitation that is secreted directly above the lake surface, the water that condenses directly above the lake surface, groundwater, surface tributaries, such as Brajcinska River, Kranska River, Shara River on the east, and Golema Reka (Big River) from the north side.

 

View towards the peak of Baba Mountain - Antenna - from Oteshevo resort, Prespa Lake, Macedonia
View towards the peak of Baba Mountain – Antenna – from Oteshevo resort, Prespa Lake, Macedonia

 

Oteshevo, Prespa Lake, Macedonia
Oteshevo, Prespa Lake, 16.02.2020

 

Prespa Lake - view toward Baba Mountain from Oteshevo beach
Oteshevo, Prespa Lake, 16.02.2020

 

Lakeview Resort, Otesevo, Prespa Lake, Resen Municipality, Macedonia
Lakeview Resort, Otesevo, Prespa Lake, Resen Municipality, 16.02.2020

 

Lake Prespa has no surface outflow. However, most of the water lost through underground leakage through abysses Zavir or Vrandupka under limestone Mount Galichica and evaporation. These waters occur in karst springs St. Naum, Tusemiste, and others.

Boat - Prespa Lake - Oteshevo Beach

The highest mid-month water lake level occurs in June and the lowest in November. Annual fluctuations of the lake level are fairly large, multi-value has reached 846 cm. The highest mid-month surface water temperatures occur in August (21,6 ° C) and lowest in February (4.8 ° C), while the average annual value is 12,9 ° C, the absolute maximum temperature reaches 29.0 ° C, and the absolute minimum to 0.3 ° C.

At extremely low temperatures the coastal part of the lake sometimes freezes. Water is a blue-greenish tint, with the utmost transparency in February of 10 m.