Detailed Data

Lake Biwa 

Partner Living Lakes

International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC) and Kosho-Net

Partner Lake since

Origin

Tectonic

Age

4 - 5 million years 

Size

674 sq. km [km²]

Length, width

63 km, 23 km

Water volume

27.5 billion of cubic m [m³]

Maximum depth

104 m

Sea level

84 m

Catchment area

3,174 sq. km [km²]

In-flows

460

Largest in-flows

Echi, Hino, Ane, Yasu, Ado

Out-flows

1 (Seta river)

Salinity

fresh water

Mean precipitation per year

some 1,600 mm in south

over 3,000 mm in north

Mean air temperature

approximately 15 °C

Frozen over

no freezing

Location

Shiga Prefecture in Japan

Vegetation

A wide variety of temperate climate vegetation thrives in the watershed. The mountain forests are characteristically composed of secondary pine, cedar, cypress and various herbaceous plants.

Water plants, birds, animals

1,086 species, 50 endemic

Fish

60 species, 12 endemic

Inhabitants

1.32 million people

Biggest problem

eutrophication

Largest success

elimination of artificial detergents