Aughrusbeg Lough is a
freshwater lake in the west of Ireland. It is located in the
Connemara
Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...
area in west
County Galway.
Geography and hydrology
Aughrusbeg Lough lies about northwest of
Clifden
Clifden (, meaning "stepping stones") is a coastal town in County Galway, Ireland, in the region of Connemara, located on the Owenglin River where it flows into Clifden Bay. As the largest town in the region, it is often referred to as "the Capi ...
near the village of
Cleggan.
[ The lake is oligotrophic.][
]
Natural history
Fish species in Aughrusbeg Lough include three-spined stickleback
The three-spined stickleback (''Gasterosteus aculeatus'') is a fish native to most inland and coastal waters north of 30°N. It has long been a subject of scientific study for many reasons. It shows great morphological variation throughout its ra ...
, rudd
''Scardinius'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae commonly called rudds. Locally, the name "rudd" without any further qualifiers is also used for individual species, particularly the common rudd (''S. erythrophthalmus''). Th ...
, brown trout and the critically endangered European eel.[ The lake is part of the Aughrusbeg Machair and Lake ]Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...
.[
]
See also
* List of loughs in Ireland
References
{{Reflist, refs =
[{{Google maps , url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/Aughrusbeg+Lough,+Co.+Galway,+Ireland/@53.5530592,-10.1833186,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x485a2208adecd211:0xb79ab97882c2c6d1?hl=en , title = Aughrusbeg Lough , access-date = 18 January 2016]
[{{cite report , last1 = Free , first1 = Gary , last2 = Little , first2 = Ruth , last3 = Tierney , first3 = Deirdre , last4 = Donnelly , first4 = Karol , last5 = Caroni , first5 = Rossana , name-list-style = amp , url = https://www.epa.ie/publications/research/water/Final-Report-(2000-FS1-M1).pdf#page=16 , title = A Reference Based Typology and Ecological Assessment System for Irish Lakes , date = 2006 , pages = 10 , publisher = ]Environmental Protection Agency (Ireland)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for protecting and improving the environment as a valuable asset for the people of Ireland. It operates independently under the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.
H ...
, access-date = 11 October 2022
[{{cite web , url = http://wfdfish.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Aughrusbeg_report_2013.pdf , title = Water Framework Directive Fish Stock Survey of Aughrusbeg Lough , publisher = Inland Fisheries Ireland , date = Jul–Aug 2013 , access-date = 18 January 2016]
[{{cite web , url = http://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/protected-sites/synopsis/SY001228.pdf , title = Aughrusbeg Machair and Lake SAC , publisher = ]National Parks and Wildlife Service (Ireland)
The National Parks and Wildlife Service () manages the Irish State's nature conservation responsibilities. As well as managing the national parks, the activities of the NPWS include the designation and protection of Natural Heritage Areas, Special ...
, access-date = 18 January 2016
Aughrusbeg