Usma lake
| Usmas ezers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Geographical location | Kurzeme , Latvia | |
| Drain | Engure → Rinda → Irbe | |
| Islands | Viskūzis Island , Moric Island and others | |
| Places on the shore | Usma | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 57 ° 12 ' N , 22 ° 10' E | |
|
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| Altitude above sea level | 20.6 m | |
| surface | 34,692 km² (1998) | |
| length | 13.5 km | |
| volume | 0.19 km³ | |
| Maximum depth | 27 m | |
| Middle deep | 5.4 m | |
| Catchment area | 429 km² | |
The Usma Lake ( Latvian : Usmas ezers ) is a lake in the west of Latvia 45 km southeast of Ventspils . In terms of volume, it is the second largest lake in Latvia.
In 1253 the lake was first mentioned as stagnum Husman .
It is a glacial lake from the last Ice Age. The deepest point of the lake is a cryptodepression below sea level. The islands of Lake Usma cover a total area of 4.2 square kilometers. The Viskūzis Island is the largest lake island in Latvia with 309.2 hectares. Inland dunes are located on the mostly flat bank. The surroundings are extensive forest areas. There are ten major tributaries into the lake. The runoff is via the Engure River and Lake Puze into the Rinda .
Nine different species of fish have been found in the lake. The Moritz Island Reserve, founded in 1912, is the oldest nature reserve in Latvia. Usma Lake is a popular place for sailing . There are numerous tourist recreational facilities.
literature
- Guntis Kavacs (Ed.): Latvijas daba. Enciklopēdija. 6 volumes. Latvijas Enciklopdija et al., Rīga 1994–1998, ISBN 5-89960-049-7 .