Pikrolimni | |
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Πικρολίμνη (Greek) | |
![]() View of lake Pikrolimni | |
Location | Kilkis, Central Macedonia, Greece |
Coordinates | 40°50′05″N 22°48′46″E / 40.83472°N 22.81278°E |
Type | hypersaline lake |
Etymology | "Bitter lake" (in Greek) |
Primary inflows | none (endorheic) |
Catchment area | 42.5 km2 (16.4 sq mi) |
Basin countries | Greece |
Designation | Natura 2000 protected area CORINE biotope |
Max. length | 2.4 km (1.5 mi) |
Max. width | 2.3 km (1.4 mi) |
Surface area | 3.7 km2 (1.4 sq mi) (average) |
Average depth | 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) |
Max. depth | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
Salinity | 153‰ |
Shore length1 | 8.5 km (5.3 mi) |
Surface elevation | 50 m (160 ft) |
Frozen | never |
Settlements | Nea Filadelfeia Mikrokampos |
Website | Natura 2000 SDF |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Lake Pikrolimni (Greek: Πικρολίμνη 'bitter lake') is an endorheic, alkaline salt lake in Kilkis prefecture, Greece.[1][2] It is located on the border of the Kilkis and Thessaloniki regional units, about 40 km northwest of Thessaloniki.[2][3] The lake is hypersaline, has rather shallow waters (0.5–0.7 m) and a shoreline of about 8.5 km.[3][4] The water surface area shows significant seasonal variation (3.2–4.5 km2) due to evaporation in the summer months, with an average value of 3.7 km2.[1][4]
Pikrolimni is the only salt lake in Greece and constitutes a biotope with rare halophytic vegetation surrounded by common reeds, which is home to various common and endangered bird species.[3][4][5] The habitat has been listed since 1996 as a Natura 2000 site of community interest and special protection area, while also protected by the Ramsar convention.[5]
The lake was known in ancient times as Chalastra (Ancient Greek: Χαλάστρα), a famous source of natron and trona for Graeco-Roman glassmaking.[1][6] In modern times it has been a site of pelo- and balneotherapy, with a spa specialising in such treatments using the lake's briny water and characteristic black mud.[2][7]
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