For interested birdwatcher - Short stopover at Lake Volvi

On the way to the hot springs of Eleftheres, we took Highway 2, which leads along the southern shore of Lake Volvi towards Kavala.

The highway, named Via Egnatia, runs along the opposite bank of the lake, sometimes the vehicles can be heard on the motorway. It was a spontaneous decision for the short stopover when we came across a dust road with plenty of potholes leading directly to the lakeshore.

Lake Volvi is the second largest natural lake in Greece after Lake Trichonida, a lake in the region of Mygdonia in the regional district of Thessalonica. The water surface is at a height of 37 m above sea level, so it is already about 38 m lower than the west adjacent Koronia lake. The depth of the Volvi lake averages 13.5 and a maximum of 22.3 meters. This makes Lake Volvi also to one of the deeper lakes in Greece. Due to its surface, Lake Volvi is the second largest natural lake in Greece.

Landing processes make Lake Volvi a paradise for birdwatchers

Like Lake Koronia, Lake Volvi is also exposed to very heavy silting processes, but to a much lesser extent. The Isthmus between Koronia and Volvi Lake is growing accordingly, making the whole region a paradise for waterfowl and bird watching. Lake Volvi belongs to a protection zone A of the Koronia National Park and the Volvi Lakes and the Macedonian Tempe, while the surrounding area is connected to the European Ecological Network of Natura 2000 for the protection of wild flora and fauna.

Due to its depth, the Volvi lakes have lower water temperatures than other Greek lakes. The mean water temperature is 6.8 ° C, the maximum up to 29 ° C. Lake Volvi is considered a warm, monomictic lake. According to hydrobiological criteria, the lake is meso to eutrophic. Lake Volvi is, following Lake Koronia, the second highest alkalinity lake in Greece.
Tributaries of the lake are Olynthiakos and Ammites, the drainage of the lake in the Strymonic Gulf (Aegean) was already described in antiquity by Thucydides, but not named. However, according to the records of Procopius, it may have been the river Richios.

Volvi and Koronia lakes once formed a common big lake

Lake Volvi is located in a depression between the Chalkidiki peninsula and the Stratoniko and Chortiatis massifs in the south and the mountain ranges of Vertsikos and Kerdilio in the north. To the east, the lake joins the valley of Rendina, to the west the lake is separated by a headland from the Koronia lake. About 1,000,000 years ago, Lake Volvi and Lake Koronia formed a common large lake that drained through the valley of Rendina to the east into the Strymonic Gulf of the Aegean. In the further course, the two lakes were separated in the Sink of Mygdonia, also the outflow into the Aegean dried up.

On Lake Volvi shores, there are the two small villages Megali Volvi and Mikri Volvi. To the southwest lies the village of Peristeronas. On the south bank is the small town of Nea Apollonia, near which are also the remains of the ancient settlement of Apollonia can be found. In addition, there are the villages Apollonia, Kokkalou and Nea Maditos. The ancient settlement Bolbos (Latin Bolbus) was also on the shores of Lake Volvi, but their exact location is still unknown.

Coordinates of the Volvi lake 40°40'50.3"N 23°28'21.3"E or 40.680626, 23.472581

Please read as well:

Vistonida lake - biotope and bird paradise on Via Egnatia
Turkey - bird watching at Göksu river

• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
• Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala Volvi Lake on the way to Kavala
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