Lough Allen
| Lough Allen Loch Aillionn |
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|---|---|
Spencer Harbour
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| Location | County Leitrim |
| Coordinates | 54°06′25″N 8°02′21″W / 54.10694°N 8.03917°WCoordinates: 54°06′25″N 8°02′21″W / 54.10694°N 8.03917°W |
| Primary inflows | River Shannon |
| Primary outflows | River Shannon |
| Basin countries | Ireland |
| Max. length | 17.7 km (11.0 mi) |
| Max. width | 4.8 km (3.0 mi) |
| Surface area | 35 km2 (14 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 4–5 m (13–16 ft) |
| Max. depth | 31 m (102 ft) |
| Islands | Corry Island, Drummans Island, Inishmagrath |
| Settlements | Arigna, Ballinaglera, Dowra, Drumshanbo, Drumkeeran |
| References | |
Lough Allen (Irish: Loch Aillionn) is a lake on the River Shannon in northeastern Connacht, Ireland. Most of the lake is in County Leitrim, with a smaller part in County Roscommon. The lake lies to the south of the River Shannon's source, near the Iron Mountains, and is the uppermost of the three main lakes on the river. The other two, Lough Ree and Lough Derg are much further to the south.
Lough-Allen, out of which the Shanon takes its source, is nine miles long, and three mies broad. The lake is shaped like an upturned isosceles triangle. The Shannon enters the lake at the wider northern end and leaves the lake at the narrow southern end. Other rivers that feed the lake include the Diffagher (northwest), the Yellow (northeast), the Stoney (east) and the Arigna (southwest). The R280 regional road skirts the west side of the lake, while the R207 follows the east bank, from Ballinagleragh to Drumshanbo. The R200 road is on the north side of the lake, traveling west from Dowra to Drumkeeran. Slieve Anierin lie to the east of Lough Allen. In recent years, there has been speculation that notable reserves of Oil and Gas lie beneath the Allen basin.
Between c. 2001 – c. 2003, water quality was reported to be excellent with an oligotrophic rating. The pike population is the "native Irish strain" (Irish: liús meaning 'Irish Pike') not the other European Pike strain (Irish: gailliasc meaning 'strange or foreign fish'). The ecology of Lough Allen, and other Irish waterways, remain threatened by curly waterweed, zebra mussel, and freshwater clam invasive species.
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