LAKES OF BURGAS

THE ATANASOVO LAKE
The Atanasovo Lake is a salt-water seaside firth, northern from Burgas. Its length is about 10 km, and its depth up to 1 m. The dry strip, which passes over the middle of the lake, is the road Varna – Burgas that separates the lake into two halves. In 1980 the northern part of it was established as a Nature Reserve, and the southern part functions as a buffer zone for the reserve. The two parts of the Atanasovo Lake are turned into salt evaporation ponds in 1906, thanks to the lower water level (about 1 m lower than the sea level). Nowadays the Atanasovo Saltern produces about 40 000 t sea salt annually. Other natural resources are the medicinal mud and lye.
 
In the Atanasovo Lake are found more that 233 species plants, such as broadleaf cattail, sea blite and others. Seven higher species plants from the Bulgarian Red Book are presented. From all 400 species, that are common in Bulgaria, here could be found 314 species. Twelve of the bird species are globally threatened with extinction, for example dalmatian pelica, red-breasted goose, pygmy cormorant, ferruginous duck, and engsnarre. From all 100 bird species included in Bulgarian Red Book, 17 nidificate in Atanasovo lake. The most multiple are pied avocet, sandwich tern, little tern and mediterranean gull. The lake is situated on the second in sizes migratory highway in Europe – Via Pontica and here are observed large concentrations of predatory, songster and water loving birds.
 
The smallest mammal in Europe – the extremely rare etruscan pygmy shrew, is also an inhabitant of the Atanasovo Lake. The threatened with extinction species – the otter and the wild cat - also represent a big interest. Usually visits to the Atanasovo Lake are paid on the western round dike. Since 2001 a specialized centre for observation of birds has been functioning, situated on the exit from Burgas. In the afternoon hours a large part of the inhabitants of the lake can be observed.

THE BURGAS LAKE
 
The Burgas Lake, which is known also as Vaya Lake, is a firth. It is located on the west from Burgas and with 27,6 km2 area it is the biggest natural lake in Bulgaria. Its length is 9,6 km, its widest part is 4,5 km wide, and its depth reaches up to 1,3 m. It is separated from the sea by sand alluvium, where industrial and residential districts of Burgas are located. On its southern edge the lake forms shoal bay, this in the past had a connection with the Mandra Lake. Now it is connected with the sea by a channel and a channel-lock.
The Burgas Lake is formed in the end of the Pliocene. The saltiness of its water is about 4-11% with considerable seasonal and annual fluctuations. It is mainly fed with river waters from Aytos River, Sanderdere and Chukarska River. New waters from Mandra Lake, which is transformed into a dam lake, are transferred into Burgas Lake.
 
The Burgas Lake has rich vegetation and animal world, which attract more and more nature lovers. The invertebrate animals are more than 60 species. Fish species are 23, and up to the present moment has been observed 254 bird species. Many of them are rare in Bulgaria, as well as in Europe, and 9 of them in the world. Some of the birds, such as heron, big cormorant and others nest here, and others such as gooses, ducks, pelicans, swans use the lake for spending the winter and resting during the migrations. That makes the lake an important ornithological place in Europe.

THE MANDRA LAKE

 
The Mandra Lake is the most western one of all the three Burgas lakes. Its area is about 1300 ha. Its length is 8 km, and it maximum wide is 1.3 km. Izvorska river, Fakiyska river, Sredetska river and Rusokastrenska river are flowing into it. It is situated on well-formed river valley, crosswise to the sea shore. Its mouth and dam wall are close to the southern edge of Burgas. Between the lake and the Burgas bay is situated the channel Poda, the highway from Burgas to Sozopol is situated on the bridge above that channel.
The Mandra lake has kept its original natural look, till 1934, when a regulation on some of the rivers have been made and some new dikes have been built in its western part in order to prevent from the spring flood. In 1963 a dam wall has been built on its eastern part. That is how the connection between the lake and the sea has been lost and it has become entirely freshwater lake.
 
The Mandra Lake keeps large quantities of the increasingly rare natural resource – fresh water. Other valuable natural resources are the game and the fish. With its beautiful nature, hunting and fishery conditions and archaeological excavations close to its shores (by Debelt village); this lake is attractive to tourists during all the seasons.

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