| Salsvatn / Salsvatnet | |
|---|---|
| Location | Fosnes and Nærøy, Nord-Trøndelag |
| Lake type | Meromictic lake |
| Basin countries | Norway |
| Max. length | 22 kilometres (14 mi) |
| Max. width | 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) |
| Surface area | 44.77 km2 (17.29 sq mi)[1] |
| Average depth | 156 metres (512 ft)[1] |
| Max. depth | 464 metres (1,522 ft)[1] |
| Water volume | 6.87 km3 (1.65 cu mi)[1] |
| Shore length1 | 105.61 kilometres (65.62 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 9 metres (30 ft) |
| References | NVE and Seppälä[1] |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Salsvatn or Salsvatnet is a lake in the municipalities of Fosnes and Nærøy in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. With its deepest depth of 464 metres (1,522 ft), it is Norway’s and Europe’s second deepest lake, after Hornindalsvatnet. Alternate sources give the depth as either 464 metres (1,522 ft) or 482 metres (1,581 ft) at the deepest point. The lake sits very close to the ocean, about 9 metres (30 ft) above sea level at the surface and reaches to a depth of 455 metres (1,493 ft) below sea level. It is a very large lake with an area of 44.77 square kilometres (17.29 sq mi), a volume of 6.87 cubic kilometres (1.65 cu mi), and a shoreline that is 105.61 kilometres (65.62 mi) around.[2]
Salsvatnet is a meromictic lake, meaning that the water is permanently stratified, often without oxygen in the lower depths (bottom water) due to density gradient and a lack of turnover. A meromictic lake often preserves records of the geologic past. The lower layer of the lake is highly saline and as a result denser than the higher levels of water. Other meromictic lakes in Norway with old seawater in the lower depths include Kilevann, Tronstadvatn, Birkelandsvatn, Botnvatn, Rørhopvatn, and Rørholtfjorden.