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Balaton
General Information
| Description |
Balaton is Hungary's largest lake and an important domestic and international recreational area. The Kis-Balaton is an extensive wetland formed by the Zala River, next to the western end of the lake. |
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| Country |
Hungary
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| Latitude |
46° 50' 0"
(46.8333) |
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| Longitude |
17° 30'
0" (17.5000) |
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| State |
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| River Basin |
Danube
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Maps
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Balaton locator map |
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Physical Characteristics
| Description |
|
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| Surface Area |
550.00 km2 |
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| Depth |
Mean depth: 3.2 m
Maximum depth: 12.0 m
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| Residence Time |
2.0 years |
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| Age |
10,000 - 99,999 years before present
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| Origin |
Tectonic
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| Type |
Fresh
Permanent
Natural
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| Catchment |
Catchment size: 6,000.00
km2
Catchment/surface area ratio: 11:1 |
Socio-Political
| Economic Value |
Lake Balaton contributes to about half of the total national income from tourism in the summer season in Hungary. Approximately 15 - 18 million tourists visit the lake region each year. |
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| Major Cities |
Keszthely, Siofok, Balatonfured |
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| Population |
400,000 (1995) |
Watershed Management
| Description |
Comprehensive monitoring programs were launched over 30 years ago in an effort to determine effective actions against growing nutrient pollution.
The use of motorboats is not allowed on Lake Balaton. Sailing is a long standing tradition. |
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| Issues |
Balaton's water quality has seriously deteriorated since the 1970's. Extreme algae blooms in late summer cover most of the lake. Blue-green algae invasions have reduced water quality and biodiversity in the lake. Nutrient pollution comes from tourism, agriculture and industry. There are two non-native fish species in Balaton. An eel species was introduced in 1961 and the silver carp in 1972. Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha)are also an invasive species in the lake. They entered the lake in the 1930's when the canal was built connecting Lake Balaton to the Danube River. |
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| Invasive Species |
Limited Impact |
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| Other Issues |
Erosion
Invasive Species
Nutrient pollution
Point source pollution
Polluted runoff
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| Monitoring |
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| Monitoring Programs |
In-Lake
Water Quality
Biological Resources and Habitats
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Biodiversity Conservation
| Description |
The reeds which encircle the shoreline are harvested for export and cleared by those promoting aquatic sports, however they serve important ecological functions. Many waterbirds use the reeds for nesting and they are a key spawning area for fish. The amount of lake surface area covered with reeds dropped 40% between 1968 and 1999. |
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| Designations |
LakeNet Biodiversity Priority
Ramsar Site
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| Species of Concern |
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Organizations
LakeNet Programs
Documents
Resources
News
Additional Data Sources
| • |
Birkett, C., and I. Mason. 1995. A new global lakes database for remote sensing programme studying climatically sensitive large lakes. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 21 (3) 307-318. |
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| • |
Duker, L. and L. Borre. 2001. Biodiversity conservation of the world's lakes: a preliminary framework for identifying priorities. LakeNet Report Series Number 2. Annapolis, Maryland USA. |
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| • |
International Lake Environment Committee, the United Nations Environment Program and Environment Agency, Government of Japan. 1997. World Lakes Database. |
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