Lake Meridional

The largest body of inland water in the south of Turoza, Lake Meridional is also the largest salt-water lake on the continent, and is used by the people of the Emirate of Taqwal that live around it as a large fishery for species of fish that would otherwise only be found out to sea.

Geography

Set in the far south of the Vermell Peninsula's middle spur, Lake Meridional is the largest body of inland water in the south of the continent of Turoza. It’s waters are continuously fed by the River Serp, the largest of the Emirate of Taqwal's rivers that flows down from the Esbalt Mountains that lie to the south of The Sorra Blanca, whilst it’s waters are equally being slowly and continuously drained into the Panta de Veri by the numerous small streams and rivers that flow into the bog land. Lake Meridional itself, despite its size, is not particularly deep, being no more than 32ft/10m at its deepest point, but the continuous replenishment of its waters from the River Serp means that the water level remains at a consistent depth, even with the constant loss of volume into the Panta de Veri.
On the northern coastline of Lake Meridional, at the point where the River Serp flows into it the lake’s bank is covered in a crust of salt, reflective of the higher than average saline content of the waters that flow down the River Serp. As the Serp’s waters originate within the area of The Sorra Blanca salt from the salt pan is dissolved into it and carried downstream to Lake Meridional. This also means that the waters of Lake Meridional are consequently quite saline in composition, not as salty as sea water, but saline enough that freshwater creatures struggle to survive there.

Fauna & Flora

From above, large tracts of Lake Meridional have a decidedly greenish complexion, and this is due to the large meadows of seagrass that have been able to take root in the Lake’s salty waters. This seagrass supports large herds of manatees that slowly glide beneath the water. In addition large schools of fish, normally found in the warm waters of the Safir Sea live in Lake Meridional, many of the species present here were native to the Lake’s waters, but many more species have been introduced by the communities of people that live on the shores of the lake, so that Lake Meridional could become an inland fishery of sorts. The most commonly occurring predators in Lake Meridional are Salt-Water Crocodiles, but it has been known for large marine predators such as sharks to stray up from the Safir Sea into the Lake, using the larger channels that cut through the Panta de Veri.

Type

Lake

Location under

Vermell Peninsula

Owner/Ruler

Emir Hortènsia Tarradel

Owning Organization

Emirate of Taqwal