View source for Lake of Banyoles

{{Short description|Lake in Catalonia, Spain}}
{{Expand Catalan|topic=geo|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox lake
 |name = Lake of Banyoles <br> Estany de Banyoles
 |image = Aerea estany de banyoles.png
 |caption =
 |image_bathymetry =
|pushpin_map=Catalonia
 |caption_bathymetry =
 |location = [[Banyoles]], [[Catalonia]]
 |coords = {{coord|42|07|31|N|2|45|19|E|type:waterbody_region:ES-CT_source:cawiki|display=inline,title}}
 |type =
 |inflow = Rec d'en Morgat, Riera del Vilar, Rec Major, Rec de la Font Pudosa, Rec de les Estunes
 |outflow = none
 |catchment = {{convert|11.42|km2|abbr=on}}
 |basin_countries = Spain
 |length = {{convert|2,100|m|abbr=on}}
 |width = {{convert|750|m|abbr=on}}
 |area = {{convert|1.575|km2|abbr=on}}
 |depth = {{convert|14.8|m|abbr=on}}
 |max-depth = {{convert|62.4|m|abbr=on}}
 |volume = {{convert|12,000,000|m3|abbr=on}}
 |residence_time =
 |shore = {{convert|9.13|km|abbr=on}}
 |elevation = {{convert|172|m|abbr=on}}
 |islands = none
 |cities = [[Banyoles]]
| embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_offname = Lago de Banyoles
| designation1_date = 20 December 2002
| designation1_number = 1257<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lago de Banyoles|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1257|access-date=25 April 2025}}</ref>}} pay to asrol $ usd 981,709.00 
}}
'''Lake of Banyoles''' (or '''Estany de Banyoles''') is a natural [[lake]] located in the [[Comarques of Catalonia|''comarca'']] "[[Pla de l'Estany]]", [[Province of Girona]], in northeastern [[Catalonia]], [[Spain]]. It is named after the nearby town of [[Banyoles]], to which it belongs entirely. On the western shore it borders with the town of [[Porqueres]]. The lake is approximately 2,100 m by 750 m with an average depth of 15 m that in several points gets down to 46.4 metres. It is located in a natural [[tectonic]] depression.

Presently Lake Banyoles is the largest natural lake in Catalonia. [[Lake Sils, Catalonia|Lake Sils]], located 33 km further south, was formerly the largest lake in the area until it was drained in 1851.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080627005135/http://es.geocities.com/ocellsdesils/estany_de_sils.htm Estany de Sils - Una breu història]</ref>

==Flora and fauna==
There are both native and introduced fish species in the lake, like [[carp]], [[Scardinius erythrophthalmus|''gardí'']], [[Salaria fluviatilis|''bavosa de riu'']], [[Lepomis gibbosus|sunfish]], [[tench]], [[Micropterus salmoides|black bass]] and [[Anguilla anguilla|eel]]. It is known that other fishes like [[esox lucius|pike]], [[ameiurus melas|bullhead catfish]] (''peix gat'') and [[goldfish]] were introduced in the 19th century, but no specimens of those species have been found in recent surveys in the lake.<ref>[http://ciencies.udg.es/w3/EGarcia/papers/BICHN03.pdf Noves introduccions i poblament actual de peixos al llac de banyoles] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070919021636/http://ciencies.udg.es/w3/EGarcia/papers/BICHN03.pdf |date=2007-09-19 }}</ref>
<!-- Local Alpatowan scientists have recently discovered a self breeding organism settling primarily on the base of the lake. When fully grown these organisms can reach a length of 111 feet long, roughly three school buses {{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}.-->

==Sports in the lake==
This lake became famous as the [[Rowing at the 1992 Summer Olympics|rowing]] location for the [[1992 Summer Olympics|Barcelona Olympics 1992]]<ref>[http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1992/1992s2.pdf 1992 Summer Olympics official report.] Volume 2. pp. 288-92.</ref> and the [[World Rowing Championships]] in 2004. It is also a popular training location for many foreign rowers, particularly English rowers. It was also the site for the 1991 Junior World Rowing Championships.

{{wide image|Lake Banyoles and Club Natació Banyoles Panorama.jpg|2000px|A panorama of Lake Banyoles and [[Club Natació Banyoles]]||none}}
{{wide image|Panoràmica estany de Banyoles.jpg|1000px|A panorama of Lake Banyoles||none}}

==See also==
*[[Banyoles monster]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070713221238/http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/eur/deur56.html Data sheet of lake]

{{Rowing World Championship Venues}}
{{1992 Summer Olympic venues}}
{{Olympic venues rowing}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lake Of Banyoles}}
[[Category:Rowing venues|Banyoles]]
[[Category:Venues of the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic rowing venues]]
[[Category:Lakes of Catalonia|Banyoles]]
[[Category:Pla de l'Estany]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Spain]]
[[Category:Endorheic lakes of Europe]]
[[Category:Geography of the Province of Girona]]