The key case study of SARLAKES is Lake Garda, Italy
«Suso in Italia bella giace un laco, a piè de l’Alpe che serra Lamagna sovra Tiralli, c’ha nome Benaco.» (Dante Alighieri, Inferno, Canto XX)
Lake Garda, known as Lago di Garda in Italian or lago Benaco, is the largest lake in Italy, situated in the northern part of the country. It stretches across three regions: Lombardy to the west, Veneto to the east, and Trentino-Alto Adige to the north. Its location at the edge of the Dolomite Mountains places it at the interface between the Alps and the Po Valley. It combines a large and relatively simple round-shaped geometry in the southern part with an elongated and narrow area surrounded by a steep orography in the northern trunk. It is occasionally subject to long-lasting storm winds, e.g. Foehn, leading to long fetch wave events.
Lake Garda is approximately 52 kilometers long and 17 kilometers wide at its widest point, with a surface area of around 370 square kilometers. Its depth reaches up to 346 meters in the northern part near the town of Riva del Garda. The lake basin was formed by glacial activity during the last Ice Age, around 1.5 million years ago, when glaciers from the Alps carved out the valley that the lake now occupies.
It is primarily fed by the Sarca River, which enters at the northern end, and is drained by the Mincio River at the southern end, flowing out towards the Po River. The lake’s water is relatively clear with a visibility of several meters, and it has a mild temperature gradient due to its considerable depth and volume, allowing for thermal stratification.
The water temperature ranges from around 6°C in winter to 26°C in summer, fostering a diverse aquatic ecosystem.
Formation and Evolution
The formation of Lake Garda is attributed to both glacial and tectonic activities. During the Pleistocene epoch, advancing glaciers sculpted the valley, while subsequent retreating glaciers left behind morainic deposits that partially blocked the valley, creating the natural dam that retains the lake’s water today. Over millennia, the lake’s shape has been further modified by erosion and sediment deposition.
Lake Garda has a rich and diverse history, with evidence of human settlement dating back to prehistoric times. Over the millennia, the lake has been home to various civilizations, each leaving its mark on the region’s culture and development.