Belhavel Lough

Belhavel Lough (Irish: Claonloch, meaning "crooked lake")[3] is a freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. It is located in north County Leitrim near the village of Killarga.

Belhavel Lough
Location in Ireland
Location	County Leitrim
Coordinates	54°12′31″N 8°11′1″W
Native name	Claonlochcode: gle promoted to code: ga   (Irish)
Primary outflows	Diffagher River
Catchment area	22.24 km^2 (8.6 sq mi)
Basin countries	Ireland
Surface area	1.01 km^2 (0.39 sq mi)
Surface elevation	60 m (200 ft)
References	[1][2]

Geography and hydrology

Belhavel Lough is about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of Killarga and 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Drumkeeran.[1] It covers an area of 1.01 km² (0.4 sq mi).[2] The lake drains east into the Diffagher River, which eventually reaches Lough Allen.[1]

Ecology

The water quality was reported to be satisfactory c. 2001 – c. 2003 with a mesotrophic rating,[4][n 1] but had a "poor" ecological status c. 2007 – c. 2009 indicating pollution,[6] though Zebra mussel infestation was not reported.[7] The ecology of Belhavel Lough, and other Leitrim waterways, is threatened by curly waterweed, zebra mussel, and freshwater clam invasive species.[8][9]

See also

• List of loughs in Ireland

References and notes

Notes

1. Trophic states of "Oligotrophic" and "Mesotrophic" are desirable, but freshwater lakes rated 'Eutrophic' or 'Hypertrophic' indicates pollution.[5]

Primary sources

1. Google (10 Aug 2015). "Belhavel Lough" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 10 Aug 2015.
2. "A Reference Based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes" (PDF). Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland). 2006. p. 10. Retrieved 10 Aug 2015.
3. "Claonloch/Belhavel Lough". Placenames Database of Ireland. Government of Ireland - Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Dublin City University. Retrieved 10 Aug 2015.
4. Clenaghan, Clinton, Crowe 2005, pp. 97. sfn error: no target: CITEREFClenaghan,_Clinton,_Crowe2005 (help)
5. Clenaghan, Clinton, Crowe 2005, pp. 8. sfn error: no target: CITEREFClenaghan,_Clinton,_Crowe2005 (help)
6. EPA 2010, pp. 7,84.
7. EPA 2010, pp. 80.
8. Pedreschi, Kelly-Quinn, Caffrey, O’Grady, Mariani, Phillimore 2014. sfn error: no target: CITEREFPedreschi,_Kelly-Quinn,_Caffrey,_O’Grady,_Mariani,_Phillimore2014 (help)
9. Clenaghan, Clinton, Crowe 2005, pp. 16. sfn error: no target: CITEREFClenaghan,_Clinton,_Crowe2005 (help)

Secondary sources

• Clenaghan, Conor; Clinton, Frank; Crowe, Matthew (2005). Phosphorus Regulations National Implementation Report (PDF) (Report). Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Enforcement.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Pedreschi, D.; Kelly-Quinn, M.; Caffrey, J; O'Grady, M.; Mariani, S.; Phillimore, A. (2014), Genetic structure of pike (Esox lucius) reveals a complex and previously unrecognized colonization history of Ireland, Journal of Biogeography, 41(3), 548–560.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• EPA (2010). Martin McGarrigle; John Lucey; Micheál Ó Cinnéide (eds.). Water Quality in Ireland 2007-2009 (PDF) (Report). EPA, Aquatic Environment Office of Environmental Assessment.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)