Lake Sils, Catalonia
Encyclopedia
Lake Sils, Catalan
Estany de Sils or Llac de Sils, was an ancient lake located in Sils, Girona
municipal term, in the comarca
of Selva
, in Catalonia
, Spain
. Located in a tectonic basin, this lake was the largest natural lake in Catalunya before being drained in the nineteenth century.
of Catalonia. Sils Lake is represented clearly in the following ancient maps, among others:
The lake was located in a tectonic depression without natural drainage. The highly seasonal rivers of Vallcanera, Caldes
, Pins, Rec Clar and la Torderola contributed with their waters to fill Lake Sils basin. The surface of the lake was probably subject to periodical variations, reaching its lowest level at the height of the summer in periods of drought when inflow
reached a minimum and evaporation
was high.
As in most wetlands in Europe in the past, the Sils Lake was seen as an unhealthy area, a focus of maladies. There were several attempts to drain the lake in the past centuries, but these were not successful. Finally in 1851, as part of a campaign against malaria
and for agricultural development, a long canal leading to the Riera de Santa Coloma
was built, and the waters of the lake ebbed away.
The lands that were obtained through the desiccation of the lake area were distributed among the people who had built the drainage canal.
As time went by the lake basin filled mainly with hay
fields
that were cut in order to store hay for the local cattle
in the winter.
Towards the last quarter of the 20th century, when cattle-rearing was on the wane in the region, the hayfields gave way to poplar
and hybrid plane plantations for commercial use.
s in the area formerly occupied by Lake Sils. These are partly a fruit of the effort of a 1998 project called "Life" under which some of the former hayfields are being restored by buying private land. The final and most ambitious part of the project is to reestablish a permanent lake and recreate some of the local forest that had formerly grown at the edges of the ancient lake.
This project is under the 'Natural Interest Areas Plan', Pla d'Espais d'Interès Natural (PEIN) of the Generalitat
, and is part of the Natura 2000
ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.
, the European pond terrapin
and the small snake Natrix maura
deserve mention.
It is difficult to know which fishes inhabited the waters of the ancient lake. The incertitude is largely based on the introduction of exotic species, like common carp
, crucian carp
and Gambusia
rather than to the probable extinction of some original local species. Besides the exotic species, nowadays the European chub
and European eel
are common in the present remaining wetlands and rivulets.
41°48′25"N 2°44′45"E
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
Estany de Sils or Llac de Sils, was an ancient lake located in Sils, Girona
Sils, Girona
Sils is a municipality in the comarca of Selva, in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated next to a former lake, which was drained in the nineteenth century...
municipal term, in the comarca
Comarques of Catalonia
This is a list of the comarques of Catalonia . A comarca is roughly equivalent to a US "county" or a UK "district". However, in the context of Catalonia, the term "county" can be a bit misleading, because in medieval Catalonia, the most important rulers were counts, notably the Counts of Barcelona...
of Selva
Selva
Selva is a coastal comarca in Catalonia, Spain, located between the mountain range known as the Serralada Transversal or Puigsacalm and the Costa Brava . Unusually, it is divided between the provinces of Girona and Barcelona, with Fogars de la Selva being part of Barcelona province, and all other...
, in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Located in a tectonic basin, this lake was the largest natural lake in Catalunya before being drained in the nineteenth century.
History
The original surface of the lake was around 7 km², therefore it appears larger than Lake Banyoles in the ancient cartographyCartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
of Catalonia. Sils Lake is represented clearly in the following ancient maps, among others:
- "Cataloniae principatus descriptio nova" by Gerard Mercator, 1619
- "Catalonia de Guiljelmus Blaeu excud.", Amsterdam, 1632
- "Cataloniae principatus et Ruscinonis ac Cerretaniae comitatuum exactissima dilineatio, cura et studio de Matthäus Seutter", 1740
- "Cataloniae principatus, nec non Ruscinonensis et Cerretaniae Comitatus in eorum vicariatus peraccurae distincti de Nicolaum Visser"
- "Cataloniae Principatus novissima et accurata descriptio" by J.B. Vrients, 1608
The lake was located in a tectonic depression without natural drainage. The highly seasonal rivers of Vallcanera, Caldes
Caldes de Malavella
Caldes de Malavella is a municipality of the comarca of Selva in Catalonia, Spain. As of 2001, its population is 4,225.The place was formerly very famous for its thermal baths.-External links:*...
, Pins, Rec Clar and la Torderola contributed with their waters to fill Lake Sils basin. The surface of the lake was probably subject to periodical variations, reaching its lowest level at the height of the summer in periods of drought when inflow
Inflow (hydrology)
In hydrology, the inflow of a body of water is the source of the water in the body of water. It can also refer to the average volume of incoming water in unit time. It is contrasted with outflow....
reached a minimum and evaporation
Evaporation
Evaporation is a type of vaporization of a liquid that occurs only on the surface of a liquid. The other type of vaporization is boiling, which, instead, occurs on the entire mass of the liquid....
was high.
As in most wetlands in Europe in the past, the Sils Lake was seen as an unhealthy area, a focus of maladies. There were several attempts to drain the lake in the past centuries, but these were not successful. Finally in 1851, as part of a campaign against malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
and for agricultural development, a long canal leading to the Riera de Santa Coloma
Santa Coloma de Farners
Santa Coloma de Farners is a spa town and capital of the comarca of the Selva, inCatalonia, Spain, and of the judicial district of Santa Coloma.It is situated on the edge of the Selva depression and of the Guilleries...
was built, and the waters of the lake ebbed away.
The lands that were obtained through the desiccation of the lake area were distributed among the people who had built the drainage canal.
As time went by the lake basin filled mainly with hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
fields
Field (agriculture)
In agriculture, the word field refers generally to an area of land enclosed or otherwise and used for agricultural purposes such as:* Cultivating crops* Usage as a paddock or, generally, an enclosure of livestock...
that were cut in order to store hay for the local cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
in the winter.
Towards the last quarter of the 20th century, when cattle-rearing was on the wane in the region, the hayfields gave way to poplar
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
and hybrid plane plantations for commercial use.
Ecology
Nowadays there are a few vestiges of the former lake as marshes and seasonal pondPond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
s in the area formerly occupied by Lake Sils. These are partly a fruit of the effort of a 1998 project called "Life" under which some of the former hayfields are being restored by buying private land. The final and most ambitious part of the project is to reestablish a permanent lake and recreate some of the local forest that had formerly grown at the edges of the ancient lake.
This project is under the 'Natural Interest Areas Plan', Pla d'Espais d'Interès Natural (PEIN) of the Generalitat
Generalitat
Generalitat is the name of the autonomous systems of government of two of the present Spanish autonomous communities: Catalonia and the Valencian Community. The term is also used for the government of the semi-autonomous comarca of Val d'Aran, the Generalitat a l'Aran.Generalitat refers to all...
, and is part of the Natura 2000
Natura 2000
Natura 2000 is an ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.-Origins:In May 1992, the governments of the European Communities adopted legislation designed to protect the most seriously threatened habitats and species across Europe. This legislation is called the...
ecological network of protected areas in the territory of the European Union.
Species
There are many different species of birds in the few marshes remaining in the area. These were probably part of the original fauna of the lake that disappeared. Among the herpetological fauna, the Mediterranean Painted Frog, the Palmate NewtPalmate Newt
The Palmate Newt is a species of newt found in most of Western Europe, including Great Britain. It is protected by law in all countries where it occurs, and is thought to be extremely rare to endangered in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and vulnerable in Spain and Poland but common...
, the European pond terrapin
European pond terrapin
The European pond turtle , Emys orbicularis is a long-living freshwater species of turtle.-Geographic range:It is found in southern and central Europe, West Asia and North Africa...
and the small snake Natrix maura
Natrix maura
Natrix maura is a natricine water snake of the genus Natrix. Its common name is viperine water snake or viperine snake. Despite its common names, it is not a member of the Subfamily Viperinae...
deserve mention.
It is difficult to know which fishes inhabited the waters of the ancient lake. The incertitude is largely based on the introduction of exotic species, like common carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
, crucian carp
Crucian carp
The crucian carp is a member of the family Cyprinidae, which includes many other fish, such as the common carp, or the smaller minnows. They inhabit lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers throughout Europe and Asia. The crucian is a medium-sized cyprinid, which rarely exceeds a weight of over 3.3...
and Gambusia
Gambusia
Gambusia is a large genus of fish in family Poeciliidae . Gambusia contains over 40 species, most of which are principally found in freshwater habitats, though some species may also be found in brackish or saltwater habitats. The type species is the Cuban gambusia, Gambusia punctata)...
rather than to the probable extinction of some original local species. Besides the exotic species, nowadays the European chub
European chub
The European chub , sometimes called the round chub, fat chub, chevin, pollard or simply "the" chub, is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae...
and European eel
European eel
The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a species of eel, a snake-like, catadromous fish. They can reach in exceptional cases a length of 1½ m, but are normally much smaller, about 60–80 cm, and rarely more than 1 m....
are common in the present remaining wetlands and rivulets.
External links
41°48′25"N 2°44′45"E