Lago di Mezzola is a small lake in the Italian region of

Lombardy Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...

, measuring .

Geography

It lies between the Pian di Spagna to the south, which divides it from

Lake Como Lake Como ( it, Lago di Como , ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh de Còmm , ''Cómm'' or ''Cùmm'' ), also known as Lario (; after the la, Larius Lacus), is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of , making it the thir ...

and is an ecologically important wetland habitat, and the Piano di Chiavenna to the north, which leads up to

Chiavenna Chiavenna ( lmo, Ciavèna ; la, Clavenna; rm, Clavenna or ''Claven''; archaic german: Cläven or ''Kleven'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Sondrio in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. It is the centre of the Alpine ...

. Both are crossed by the river Mera which is Lago di Mezzola's most important inflow, as well as its sole outflow, and which connects it to Lake Como. The lake has two further inflows, the Codera, which runs through the Val Codera before entering the lake at Novate Mezzola, and the Ratti which runs through the Valle dei Ratti and enters the lake a little to the south at Verceia. The Lago di Mezzola and the Pian di Spagna together make up the

Riserva Naturale Pian di Spagna e Lago di Mezzola The Riserva Naturale Pian di Spagna e Lago di Mezzola is a nature reserve in Lombardy, Italy. The reserve consists of the Lago di Mezzola and the wetland area which separates it from Lake Como, the Pian di Spagna. It includes parts of the comuni ...

. Formerly this area was part of the northern branch of Lake Como, which extended as far north as Samolaco, known in antiquity as ( Latin for "Head of the Lake"). Subsequently, the frequent flooding of the Adda deposited alluvium and formed the Pian di Spagna, thus separating the two lakes. The lakeside settlements include Novate Mezzola to the north, Verceia, San Fedele and Bocca d'Adda (once the mouth of the Adda) on the eastern shore, and Dascio and Albonico, (both '' frazioni'' of the commune of Sorico) to the west. The 10th-century lakeside Tempietto di San Fedelino, is near the northern shore.

Fauna

The many fish in the lake include pike, perch, tench,

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

and rudd.

References

{{Authority control Mezzola Province of Sondrio Province of Como Ramsar sites in Italy