Lake Biel
| Lake Bienne French: Lac de Bienne, German: Bielersee |
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| Lake Biel | |
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| Location | Canton of Berne |
| Coordinates | 47°5′N 7°10′E / 47.083°N 7.167°ECoordinates: 47°5′N 7°10′E / 47.083°N 7.167°E |
| Catchment area | 8,305 km2 (3,207 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Switzerland |
| Max. length | 15 km (9.3 mi) |
| Max. width | 4.1 km (2.5 mi) |
| Surface area | 39.3 km2 (15.2 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 74 m (243 ft) |
| Water volume | 1.12 km3 (910,000 acre·ft) |
| Residence time | 58 days |
| Surface elevation | 429 m (1,407 ft) |
| Islands | St. Peter's Island |
| Settlements | Biel/Bienne (see list) |
Lake Bienne or Lake Biel or (French: Lac de Bienne, German: Bielersee) is a lake in the west of Switzerland. Together with Lake Morat and Lake Neuchâtel, it is one of the three large lakes in the Jura region of Switzerland. It lies approximately at 47°5′N 7°10′E / 47.083°N 7.167°E, at the language boundary between German and French speaking areas.
The lake is 15 km long and up to 4.1 km wide. Its surface area is 39.3 km², the maximum depth 74 m. The lake is located at 429 metres above sea level.
Lake Biel has a catchment area of about 8,305 km². Water remains in the lake for an average of 58 days. The rivers Aare and Zihl/Thielle flowing from Lake Neuchâtel, the Twannbach draining water down from the surplombing first Jura mountain range and the Suze draining water down from the Vallon de St. Imier, are the main tributaries. The Aare was redirected into the lake in 1878, in order to prevent the flooding of the nearby area called "Seeland", and drains the water out of the lake down to Büren through a simultaneously man-made channel. The level of all three lakes is being controlled by a dam built across the channel, in Port.
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