Lake Qarun A Renewable Environmental Stock

Lake Qarun is the third largest lake in Egypt and the second most famous one after Lake Nasser in the Southern part of Egypt. Its depth ranges between 5 meters in the east to 12 meters in the west. Lake Qarun is considered part of Lake Moeris that Herodotus visited in the med-fifth century BC. Lake Qarun houses an island called "The Golden Horn", a wonderful area famous for water sports such as skiing, fishing and birds watching. Lake Qarun is located in Fayyoum about 103 kilometers southwest of Cairo. The lake has the most beautiful picturesque views as well as the most moderate climate all the year round.

Lake Qarun… A Natural Reserve

Location:

Lake Qarun, located in the western north of al-Rayan Valley, one of the oldest natural lakes in the whole world.

Area:

It lies over an area of 55,000 feddans, some 45 meters below sea level. Its depth ranges between 5-12 meters and its salinity between 32-35 parts per thousand.

The Reserve Environmental Formation:

* The lake northern part encompasses Mount Qatrani that is located in a rocky area housing important fossilized mammals, about 3-10 million years old, namely the fossils of the oldest ape in the whole world "Ape Egyptothyx" which is the connecting link between the apes of old and modern ages.
* The lake houses a number of significant geological formations as well as some swaps that include various plants.
* Lake Qarun is a safe haven and a warm cradle for thousands of both resident and migrant birds, fleeing the severe cold in Europe.
* Various kinds of fish live in the lake water such as the green tilapia, mullet and the sole, in addition to some reptiles such as the while shrimp.
* The reserve contains several monuments including as-Sagha (goldsmiths) palace, Qarun Temple, Abu Lifa Monastery and many other Pharaonic and Roman monuments.

Fish Wealth in Lake Qarun:

The lake was known for its fresh water and numerous fisheries. However, many reasons led to a noticeable decrease in the amount of fish in the lake, salient of which are as follows:
1- Decrease of fresh water teeming with natural fertilizers such as nitrate and phosphate.
2- The high rate of evaporation.
3- The concentration of drainage water salt in the lake.

This led to an incessant increase in the lake salinity, with a ratio rising from 12 parts per thousand nowadays.
According to recent research and studies, both the eastern and southern parts of the lake are less saline that the northern and western ones. The lake now is as saline as seawater and consequently some kinds of fish quite disappeared such as cat fish, eel and barbell, except for green tilapia that can easily adapt and grow in salty water and mullet that is found in large amounts in the lake.

Major Kinds of Fish in Lake Qarun:

Several kinds of fish are abundantly available in the lake such as green tilapia, sole, mullet, bass as well as some reptiles, namely while shrimp.

Studies and research proved the fertility of the lake water, its graded temperature and the abundance of natural food needed for the growth of fish, especially plant or animal blankton that results in increasing the amount of different kinds of shrimp.
Fish season in Lake Qarun ranges between 170 to 180 days and the lake seasonal production hits about 1300 tons of fish.

Various Monuments Around Lake Qarun:

1- Pharaonic Monuments:

Lake Qarun reserve contains as-Sagha (goldsmith) Palace that lies 8 km north of the lake,

 over an area of 180 m. it looks like a small temple made of rosy stone with seven compartments.

2- Greek and Roman Monuments:

Qasr Qarun (Qarun Palace):

 The reserve houses Qasr Qarun (Qarun Palace) which is located southwest of the Lake. It is a monumental area built of limestone.

 The Relics of the Old Town of Skitnopius:

Greek monuments include relics of the old town of Skitnopius, once the departure point for the south desert-bound trade caravans.

3- Coptic Monuments:

Abu Lifa Monastery

It lies three km away from as-Sagha Palace. Abu Lifa Monastery was built in the Monastic Era on an elevated spot in the bosom of a mountain to keep monks secure from Roman oppression.