St. John's Lough

St. John's Lough, also known as St. John's Lake, is a irregularly shaped freshwater lake located in south County Leitrim, in northwest of Ireland. The lake forms part of the wider Shannon–Erne Waterway tourist attraction. The ecology of John's Lough, and the Shannon-system, is threatened by pollution and invasive species such as curly waterweed, zebra mussel, and freshwater clam.EtymologyNamed after Eóin Baiste, meaning "John the Baptist", the lake is therefore named "the lake of John".GeographySt. John's Lough is a shallow freshwater lake 4km west of Ballinamore, covering a surface area somewhere between 1.46km2 and 1.89km2. Saint John's Lough extends from in the north-east, before dividing into three broad reaches separated by narrow passes, or straits. The "" connects the Ballinamore canal and northern lake portion to the central John's lough, and the "" connects the central lough to the southern lough. The catchment area comprises Forestry (2%), pasture (55%), and other agriculture (43%), according ot CORINE data. The R208 regional road follows the lakes northern boundary, crossing the Ballinamore canal at.