Blue Lake (Croatia)
Encyclopedia
Blue Lake is a karst
lake located near Imotski
in southern Croatia
. Like the nearby Red Lake, it lies in a deep sinkhole
possibly formed by the collapse of an enormous underground cave. The total depth from the upper rim is around 220 meters, while water depth varies with season. In spring, when the snow from surrounding mountains melts, it can reach 90 m, and in 1914 it reached 114 m, overflowing the southern rim. The lake is a popular destination for hiking and sight-seeing.
Maximum dimensions of the lake are around 800×500 m, but they significantly vary due to big changes in the water level. At the end of the summer the lake may completely disappear.
In 1907 a road was built descending to the lake. In 1942, an earthquake caused a large landfall resulting in reduction of the lake's depth.
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
lake located near Imotski
Imotski
Imotski , is a small town situated on the northern side of Biokovo massif, Dalmatian hinterland, Croatia. The town was first mentioned as Imotski for the first time in the 10th century and it was held by the Turks from the fall of Bosnia until 1717 when it was captured by the Venetians. The town...
in southern Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. Like the nearby Red Lake, it lies in a deep sinkhole
Sinkhole
A sinkhole, also known as a sink, shake hole, swallow hole, swallet, doline or cenote, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes — the chemical dissolution of carbonate rocks or suffosion processes for example in sandstone...
possibly formed by the collapse of an enormous underground cave. The total depth from the upper rim is around 220 meters, while water depth varies with season. In spring, when the snow from surrounding mountains melts, it can reach 90 m, and in 1914 it reached 114 m, overflowing the southern rim. The lake is a popular destination for hiking and sight-seeing.
Maximum dimensions of the lake are around 800×500 m, but they significantly vary due to big changes in the water level. At the end of the summer the lake may completely disappear.
In 1907 a road was built descending to the lake. In 1942, an earthquake caused a large landfall resulting in reduction of the lake's depth.