Lake Saroma

About Lake Saroma

The largest lake in Hokkaido and the third largest in Japan after Lake Biwa and Lake Kasumigaura. It is a lagoon separated from the Sea of Okhotsk by a sandbar, and a brackish lake connected to the sea through its inlet. Abashiri Quasi-National Park, designated in 1958 as Japan's northernmost group of lagoon lakes, includes seven such lakes starting with Saroma. The 1991 survey recorded flounder, herring, Japanese smelt, saffron cod and surf smelt, and clams.

Sources: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Area Statistics 2026, Ministry of the Environment, Overview of Quasi-National Parks, Environment Agency of Japan, Lake Survey Report (1993), Environment Agency of Japan, Lake Survey Report: Data Appendix (1993) (sources in Japanese)

Lake data

Area

151.63 km²#1 in Hokkaido

Maximum depth

19.6 m#13 in Hokkaido

Average depth

8.7 m

Surface elevation

0 m

Transparency

9.4 m#8 in Hokkaidoas of the 1991 survey

Origin

Lagoon-origin lake

Lake type

Eutrophic

Fresh or brackish

Brackish

Freezing

Freezes in winter

Unmodified lake

No

Natural park

Abashiri Quasi-National Park

Lake number

0200number in the national lake survey

Sources: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Area Statistics of Prefectures and Municipalities 2026 (as of July 1), Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Lake Survey (surveyed 1971-1974), Environment Agency of Japan, 4th National Survey on the Natural Environment: Lake Survey Report (1993). Area and depth use newer figures from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan where available. Origin, lake type, transparency, freezing and unmodified status are as of the 1991 survey.

Themes that include Lake Saroma

• Lagoon-origin lakes
• Eutrophic lakes
• Brackish lakes