| Carrickaport Lough | |
|---|---|
| Carraig an Phoirt Loch (Irish) | |
  Location in Ireland | |
| Location | County Leitrim |
| Coordinates | 54°1′48″N7°58′58″W / 54.03000°N 7.98278°W /54.03000; -7.98278 |
| Lake type | Freshwater |
| Basin countries | Ireland |
| Surface area | 0.46 km2 (0.18 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 63 m (207 ft) |
| Islands | 1 |
| References | [1][2][3] |
Carrickaport lough (Irish:Carraig an Phoirt, meaning 'rocks of the bog [port, a bog here]')[4][5] is afreshwater lake inKiltubrid parish, southCounty Leitrim, Ireland.Drumcong village, andLough Scur, lie nearby. Carrickaport lough is known for quality bream and pike fishing.[6] The ecology of Carrickaport lough, and other county waterways, is threatened bycurly waterweed,zebra mussel, andfreshwater clam invasive species.[7]
The lake takes its name from the borderingtownland of "Carrickaport" (Irish:Carraig an Phoirt), meaning the "rock of the port (or fort, or bank)".[4]
Carrickaport lough is located due west ofDrumcong village andLough Scur, inCounty Leitrim. The lake has anhourglass shape with a surface-area of about 0.46 square kilometres (0.2 sq mi),[1][2] and depths of 7 metres (23.0 ft).[3] The level of Carrickaport lough is about 1 foot (0.3 m) higher than Lough Scur, and a small stream of 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) length running through Drumcong connects both lakes.[2] Carrickaport lough is surrounded by high lands and bounded by thetownlands of Drumbullog, Corderry (Morton), Carrickaport, Mullaghycullen, Drumcong, and Roscarban. Thesubstrate consists of rock (15%), cobble (70%), gravel (10%) and sand (5%).[8]
Fish present in Carrickaport include "Roach-Bream hybrids",Perch,Breamof 3-4lbs,Roach, andPike.[9] The pike population is the "native Irish strain" (Irish:liús meaning 'IrishPike') not the other EuropeanPike strain (Irish:gailliasc meaning 'strange or foreign fish').[7] The lake has stocks of Pike up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg).[3] The water quality was reported to be satisfactoryc. 2001 – c. 2003 with amesotrophic rating.[10][n 1]
Following a survey in 2007 the condition of Carrickaport Lough was reported as "unsatisfactory" withFilamentous algae present,[8] and pollution, along with a seriouszebra mussel infestation, being also reported.[12][7] Carrickaport Lough is reed-fringed,[3] with approximately one fifth ofsubstrate vegetation beingcommon club-rush, whilePotamogeton pondweed and the alien speciesElodea canadensis are also present.[8]
Carrickaport lough, with a shallow rocky shore, has some ideal potentialWhite-clawed crayfish habitat,[8] While a population ofWhite-clawed crayfish has previously been reported, no specimens were found when last surveyed in 2007.[12] Indeed, crayfish are never been found withzebra mussel,[13] and Irish stocks are threatened by non-indigenous crayfish species importation.[14]
In August 2000 the "Weissia rostellata" moss, regarded as a rare species in Ireland,[15] was found growing unshaded to partly-shaded (by grasses andrushes) on the damp clay-mud of a sparsely vegetated ditch beside the lake.[16]
TheLister's river snail (Viviparus fasciatus) is abundant, andhog louse is also present.[8]
The primaryhuman settlement at Carrickaport is the village ofDrumcong.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)Places inCounty Leitrim | ||
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