Lake Ilmen
Categories: Russia geography stubs | Lakes of Russia
Lake Ilmen (Russian: Озеро Ильмень, Finnish: Ilmajärvi), a lake in Novgorod Oblast of Russia.
Ilmen is about 45 km long ang 35 km wide, its average absolute level is 18 m, average surface area is 982 km² (may vary from 733 to 2,090 km² depending on water level). It is rather shallow, its maximum depth does not exceed 10 meters. The lake is fed by 52 inflowing rivers, the four main ones being Msta, Pola, Lovat River, Shelon and is drained through a single outlet, the Volkhov, into the Lake Ladoga, and subsequently via the Neva into the Gulf of Finland. The city of Novgorod lies six kilometers below the lake's outflow.
The water level is regulated by the Volkhov hydroelectric dam situated downstream the Volkhov River. Water temperature in July is 19-20°C. Bathing season is about 90 days. Fishery. Shipping lines are Novgorod–Staraya Russa and Novgorod–Shimsk.