Lake Bolsena

Lake Bolsena Lago di Bolsena
Wideangle view
Location	Province of Viterbo, Central Italy
Coordinates	42°36′N 11°56′E / 42.600°N 11.933°E / 42.600; 11.933Coordinates: 42°36′N 11°56′E / 42.600°N 11.933°E / 42.600; 11.933
Type	crater lake
Primary inflows	None
Primary outflows	Marta
Catchment area	159.5 km2 (61.6 sq mi)
Basin countries	Italy
Max. length	13 km (8.1 mi)
Max. width	11 km (6.8 mi)
Surface area	113.5 km2 (43.8 sq mi)
Average depth	81 m (266 ft)
Max. depth	151 m (495 ft)
Water volume	9.2 km3 (3.2×1011 cu ft)
Residence time	121 years
Surface elevation	305 m (1,001 ft)
Islands	2 (Bisentina, Martana)
Settlements	see article
References	see article

Lake Bolsena (Italian: Lago di Bolsena) is a crater lake of central Italy, of volcanic origin, which began to collect 370,000 years ago following the formation of a caldera in the Vulsini volcanic complex. Roman historic records indicate activity of the Vulsini volcano occurred as recently as 104 BC; it has been dormant since then. The two islands in the southern part of the lake were formed by underwater eruptions following the collapse that created the caldera.

The lake is supplied entirely from the aquifer, rainfall and runoff, with one outlet at the southern end. A sewage treatment plant filters most of the raw sewage from the surrounding communities. Constructed in 1996, it features pipelines transporting the sewage from every major community around the lake to the treatment plant on the Marta River; that is, no effluents enter the lake. Fertilizers are a second source of contamination. However, the chemical content of the lake is monitored at several stations around it.

Lying within the northern part of the province of Viterbo that is called Alto Lazio ("Upper Latium") or Tuscia, the lake has a long historic tradition. The Romans called it Lacus Volsinii, adapting the Etruscan name, Velzna, of the last Etruscan city to hold out against Rome, which was translocated after 264 BC, and its original location today has not been securely identified. The lake is bordered on one side by updated forms of the Roman consular road Via Cassia. In addition to the historic sites of all periods, Lake Bolsena is currently surrounded by numerous tourist establishments, largely for camping, agrotourism and bed and breakfasts.

One third of the lake was donated to the Catholic church by the noble family Alberici of Orvieto. In recognition of the donation the Alberici family was honored with a ceremony three times a year performed by the Bishop of Orvieto.

The lake has an oval shape typical of crater lakes. The long axis of the ellipse is aligned in a north-south direction. The bottom is roughly conical reaching a maximum depth at a point in the middle. The entire lake is surrounded by hills on the flanks and summits of which are the comuni. The watershed was home to 22,000 permanent residents in 2004, and 35,000 in the summer season.

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Wikipedia