- published: 05 Jun 2008
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Lake Trasimeno (Italian: Lago Trasimeno; Latin: Trasumennus; Etruscan Tarśmina), also referred to as Trasimene or Thrasimene in English, is the largest lake on the Italian peninsula south of the Po River with a surface area of 128 km2, slightly less than Lake Como. No major river flows directly into or out of Lake Trasimeno and the water level fluctuates significantly according to rainfall levels and the seasonal demands from the towns, villages and farms near the shore.
Trasimeno is shallow, muddy, rich in fish, including pike, carp, and tench. It is 4 meters deep on average. Lake Trasimeno is an endorheic body of water; it is an impounded lake that receives water but has no outlet. Other endorheic bodies of water include the Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Utah's Great Salt Lake, and the Dead Sea. Evaporation can lead to a build up of minerals in the water, resulting in a saline conditions, making these lakes sensitive to pressures from pollution.
The shallow waters meant that malarial mosquitoes prospered. To combat malaria, some mosquito larvae-eating fish were imported from USA during the 1950s. These fish are widely scattered, and some live in the lakes near Trasimeno. Although billions of larvae are eaten, there are still many mosquitoes and other insects.