Śniardwy is a lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 in the Masurian Lake District of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship

Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, or Warmia-Masuria Province , is a voivodeship in northeastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Olsztyn...

, Poland

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

. It is the largest lake in Poland with an area of 113.8 square kilometres (43.9 sq mi). It is 22.1 kilometres (13.7 mi) long and 13.4 kilometres (8.3 mi) wide. The maximum depth is 23 metres (75 feet). There are eight islands on the Śniardwy lake.

Geography

Śniardwy was formed by retreating ice sheet

Fluvioglacial landform

Fluvioglacial landforms are landforms molded by glacial meltwater. This discharge of glacial streams, both over the surface and beneath the ice sheet , is higher in the warmer summer months. As subglacial water often flows under pressure, it has a high velocity and is very turbulent...

 and draining floodwaters occurring as the result of ice calving ahead of the receding glacier

Glacier

A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...

. Among the eight islands are: Szeroki Ostrów, Czarci Ostrów, Wyspa Pajęcza, Wyspa Kaczor and others. Surrounding settlements include Popielno, Głodowo, Niedźwiedzi Róg

Niedzwiedzi Róg

Niedźwiedzi Róg is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Ruciane-Nida, within Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland...

, Okartowo

Okartowo

Okartowo is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Orzysz, within Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately west of Orzysz, north of Pisz, and east of the regional capital Olsztyn....

, Nowe Guty

Nowe Guty

Nowe Guty is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Orzysz, within Pisz County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately south-west of Orzysz, north of Pisz, and east of the regional capital Olsztyn.Before 1945 the area was part of Germany .-References:...

, Zdęgowo and Łuknajno.

Among the many inlet

Inlet

An inlet is a narrow body of water between islands or leading inland from a larger body of water, often leading to an enclosed body of water, such as a sound, bay, lagoon or marsh. In sea coasts an inlet usually refers to the actual connection between a bay and the ocean and is often called an...

s, two are named as separate lakes: Warnołty and Seksty. Śniardwy connects with the following lakes: Tuchlin, Łuknajno, Jezioro Mikołajskie, Roś

Ros

-People and groups:* ROS,Video Director / Producer - Matatabi Records Tokyo Japan* Raggruppamento Operativo Speciale, the Anti-organized Crime Branch of the Italian Carabinieri* Reparti i Operacioneve Speciale, a former Albanian special forces unit...

, Białoławki and Tyrkło. It is surrounded by the system of canals known as Kanały mazurskie, with numerous sluice

Sluice

A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...

s. Together, they form the Polish Masurian Lake District.