Łebsko Protection District

Details

Published on Monday, 14 November 2011 22:57

Łebsko Protection District comprises with its scope the waters of the Łebsko Lake and inflowing rivers and flows as well as the outflowing Łeba River. The biggest affluents of the lake are: the Łeba River above the lake (approx. 6 kms within the Park borders), the Pustynka River (approx. 6 kms within the Park borders), the Stara Łeba River (aprox. 1,5 km within the Park borders), the Żarnowski Channel, the Gardno-Łebsko Channel and the Łupawa-Łebsko Channel. The length of the coast-line is 55,4 km and the maximum length of lake's basin is 16,4 km. From the northern side, the Łebsko Lake is separated from the sea by the spit. Western and south-western banks are surrounded by the peat-bogs and bogs, whereas, the eastern and south-eastern banks by the muds and river sands.
The Łebsko Lake is the biggest water-region in the Slovinski National Park; it is the biggest seaside lake and the third largest in size lake in Poland. A large area of the reservoir (7140 hectares), little average depth of 1,6 m and frequent intensive winds make the lake constitute nonstratified water reservoir. The waters of the lake are of eutrophic character. Flat banks of the lake are covered with a wide strip of reed, which impedes the access to water and simultaneously constitutes the shelter for many birds' species. On the Łebsko Lake, the width of this strip in some places exceeds 100m. Beside, the little depth and large quantities of drifts carried by the affluents cause rapid silting, what consequently accelerates the overgrowing of the lake and allows for capturing the lake bank with bog flora. Gradual diminishing and lake disappearance succeeds as a result of its being poured up by the dune sand from the northern direction.
The Łebsko Lake is an eutrophic and polymictic reservoir. Similarly to the Gardno Lake, also in the area of the Łeba River estuary from the lake, there occur periodical impourings of sea waters. The waters of the Łebsko Lake succumb to mixing, not only due to effecting winds but also due to the fact of seeping of the sea water at the bottom, up towards the astuary as well as the surface outflow of fresh water towards the sea. By dint of this phenomenon, in the lake, apart from flora and fauna typical for inland water, one can approach organisms characteristic for the waters of the Baltic.
Through the lake, there run migrational routes of the following fish: lavaret, salmon, bulltrout and eel. In the waters of the lake, one can also periodically meet a twaite shad - a fish registered in the Red Book of species endangered of extinction and comprised with strict protection.