Location information

MEGALI PRESPA (Lake) FLORINA
Geology - Geomorphology
  The Prespa lakes used to be a part of a former Dassaretic Lake in the Jurassic, and are still connected to Lake Ochrid. These are the only lakes still linked to the Adriatic Sea, and this distinguishes Prespa from the other western Macedonia lakes because the latter are connected to the Aegean Sea. It is thought that the water levels of both Mikri and Megali Prespa were about 80 m higher during the Pliocene than today, and their bottoms are of karstic collapsible features. Lime stones and dolomites are the common formations on the western and southern sides of the area, while on the eastern side they are predominantly granites and gneisses. This geological substrate influences the mineral composition of the soil and its ability to keep water, which in turn influence the kind of vegetation cover in the two sides.
The Climate
  Prespa has a mix of Mediterranean and mid European Climate, this being so partly due to the existence of the two lakes, which help to maintain milder climate conditions. The mean annual temperature is 12 °C. Summer is normally moderately dry and mean temperatures rice to about 22°C. Winters are quite cold, with long lasting frosts and mean temperatures around 0°C. Although during winter the mean air temperature is 0°C, the waters of Lake Mikri Prespa often freeze. Rains and snow fall mostly from October to April, and the mean annual precipitation is about 665mm.

This text is cited September 2004 from the Municipality of Prespes URL below, which contains image

• http://www.prespes.gr/geologiaen.html (1 img.)