Ohrid Lake threatened by lack of care

POGRADEC, Aug. 15 – The Ohrid Lake in eastern Albania is threatened by a series of human illegal interventions like construction and illegal fishing, while water pollution continues to remain a problem. Many construction without following any criteria, or throwing the rubbish in its waters are a serious threat to this natural property Albanians have, experts say.
The Ohrid Lake has been created some 2-3 million years ago from the quakes. Ohrid has a 87.5 kilometer long coastline and 358.2 square kilometers of surface. Its depth goes to 289 meters. Waters filling it come from the short rivers around like that of Koselsja and the lagoons of Cerrava. Sources from Saint Naum, Drilon and Tushemisht give their contribution together with that from the mountains of Galicica and Dry Mountain. Waters in the lake are changed every 70 years. It has a wide variety of species and other resources helping the surrounding area. Some 200,000 people live around the lake.
It has a wonderful nature with many mountains and hills surrounding it sheltering a considerable number of flora and fauna objects. Experts say that some species exist only at Ohrid waters and are found nowhere else like the koran (trout) fish or other ones. The lake area started to be used as center for people during the 4th and 5th centuries and a castle northeast of Pogradec is believed to belong to that time. Since the 1st century Ohrid was the cultural center for Macedonia. Well known missionaries of the Middle Age like Saint Klement and Saint Naum found Ohrid as their proper shelter to live. Its university, considered among the oldest in Europe, graduated some 3,500 students. Samuel during the 10th century reined a large area from the castle and a considerable number of towns in Albania, Greece and Macedonia.
The population increase has also increased problems to the lake because of their careless construction, fishing and other damage. Experts say that unless proper care is paid the lake will soon suffer from many problems, consequently affecting the people around it.