Śniardwy

Śniardwy
Location	Masurian Lake District
Coordinates	53°46′N 21°45′E / 53.767°N 21.75°E / 53.767; 21.75Coordinates: 53°46′N 21°45′E / 53.767°N 21.75°E / 53.767; 21.75
Basin countries	Poland
Max. length	22.1 km
Max. width	13.4 km
Surface area	113.8 km²
Average depth	6.5 m
Max. depth	23 m
Water volume	0.65 km³
Surface elevation	117 m
Islands	8

Śniardwy (German:  der Spirdingsee (help·info)) is a lake in the Masurian Lake District of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland. It is the largest lake in Poland with an area of 113.8 square kilometres (43.9 sq mi). It is 22.1 kilometres (13.7 mi) long and 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi) wide. The maximum depth is 23 metres (75 feet). There are eight islands on the Śniardwy lake.^[1]

Geography

Śniardwy was formed by retreating ice sheet and draining floodwaters occurring as the result of ice calving ahead of the receding glacier. Among the eight islands are: Szeroki Ostrów, Czarci Ostrów, Wyspa Pajęcza, Wyspa Kaczor and others. Surrounding settlements include Popielno, Głodowo, Niedźwiedzi Róg, Okartowo, Nowe Guty, Zdęgowo and Łuknajno.^[1]

Among the many inlets, two are named as separate lakes: Warnołty and Seksty. Śniardwy connects with the following lakes: Tuchlin, Łuknajno, Jezioro Mikołajskie, Roś, Białoławki and Tyrkło. It is surrounded by the system of canals known as Kanały mazurskie, with numerous sluices. Together, they form the Polish Masurian Lake District.^[1]

Bibliography

• J. Szynkowski, Mazury. Przewodnik, Kengraf Kętrzyn, 2003