Coordinates: 45°44′59″N 14°22′20″E

Lake Cerknica
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Lake Cerknica (Slovene: Cerkniško jezero, Lake Cerknica

German: Zirknitzer See) is an intermittent Cerkniško jezero
lake near Cerknica in Inner Carniola, a
region of Slovenia. When full, it is the
largest lake in the country. It lies in the
southern part of the Cerknica Polje. The
surface of the lake can reach up to 38 km²
and the surface level varies from 546 to 551
metres above sea level.

Lake Cerknica is an important wildlife

resort, especially as a nesting place for
many bird species. It is therefore a part of With the summit of Slivnica in the background
two Natura 2000 areas of protection [1] and (winter)
is the focus of the Inner Carniola Regional
Location Inner Carniola
Park which covers additional Natura 2000
areas in the broader region.[2] Coordinates 45°44′59″N 14°22′20″E
Lake type intermittent
Basin Slovenia
Contents countries

Surface 38 km² (max.)

1 Intermittent behavior area
2 Research history
3 References Average 10 m (max.)
4 External links depth
Surface 546 m to 551 m
elevation
Intermittent behavior
Settlements Cerknica, Dolenje Jezero,
It lies in a depression of the limestone Gorenje Jezero, Grahovo
plateau known as the Karst, and exhibits
some of the most remarkable features of Karst phenomena. The lake, which under
ordinary conditions has an area of about 10 square miles (26 km 2 ) and a mean depth of
20 feet (6.1 m), communicates through a number of openings with a series of
subterranean reservoirs or caverns, some of which are above the lake level in the
surrounding hills. In the autumn, when the rainfall is slight, the lake is completely drained
into the reservoirs lying below its level, and its bed is speedily covered with rich
vegetation. With the returning heavy rains, the surrounding higher reservoirs are filled
and discharge suddenly through the subterranean passages into the lake, so that the
latter very rapidly regains its ordinary volume and may even inundate the surrounding
country. The changes in level are, however, very irregular. Sometimes the lake does not
disappear for several years, and it can remain dry for over a year, as it did in 1834-35. It
is rich in fish, which disappear and return with the water.[3]
Research history
Strabo in his Geography (v. 7, ch. 5) mentions a "marsh called Lugeum" (helos Lougeon
kaloumenon) which has been identified with Lake Cerknica,[4] Lougeon being Strabo's
Greek rendition of a local toponym, perhaps of Illyrian origin. It is Romanized as Lugeum.
In 17th century, the Carniolan polymath Janez Vajkard Valvasor described the lake in his
letter to the Royal Society which was later published in society's Proceedings. He
proposed a model of filling and emptying the lake, based on Descartes' mechanics.[5]

References
1. ^ Projektno območje (http://life.notranjski-park.si/index.php?catid=43&lang=slo) . Project Life.
Notranjska Regional Park. Accessed 2009-12-16. (in Slovene)
2. ^ Notranjska Regional Park (http://www.notranjski-park.si/eng/zlozenka-ang-1-2008.pdf) -
informative leaflet. Accessed 2009-12-16.
3. ^ "Zirknitzer See". New International Encyclopedia. 1905.
4. ^ Strabo, Geography, v. 7, ch. 5 (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?
doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0198:book=7:chapter=5:section=1) at perseus.tufts.edu
5. ^ Weichard, John (1686-1692). "An Extract of a Letter Written to the Royal Society out of
Carniola, by Mr. John Weichard Valvafor, R. Soc. S. being a Full and Accurate Description of
the Wonderful Lake of Zirknitz in That Country" (http://www.jstor.org/stable/101905) .
Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775) 16: 411–427 . http://www.jstor.org/stable/101905.

External links
Cerknica Lake (http://www.slovenia.info/?jezero=4315&lng=2) at official Slovenia
travel guide

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Categories: Lakes of Slovenia | Intermittent lakes | Cerknica geography stubs

This page was last modified on 21 December 2010 at 22:35.

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