Delsjön
| Delsjön | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Delsjön Location within Sweden | |
| Location | Gothenburg |
| Coordinates | 57°41′5″N 12°2′45″E / 57.68472°N 12.04583°E |
| Basin countries | Sweden |
| Max. length | 3 km (1.9 mi) |
| Max. width | 1.7 km (1.1 mi) |
Surface area | 2 km2 (0.77 sq mi) |
Water volume | 12.1×106 m3 (9,800 acre⋅ft) |
Sections/sub-basins | Stora Delsjön, Lilla Delsjön |
Delsjön consists of two interconnected lakes—Stora Delsjön (Great Delsjön) and Lilla Delsjön (Little Delsjön) both of which are located in eastern Gothenburg, Sweden, within the Delsjöområdet nature reserve.[1] The lakes form a primary freshwater reservoir for the city of Gothenburg, storing raw water pumped from the Göta River.[2]
Geography and hydrology
[edit]The combined lake system covers a surface area of approximately 1.8 km2 (0.69 sq mi) at a baseline surface elevation of 69.5 m (228 ft) above sea level.[3] Stora Delsjön forms the larger western body, reaching a maximum depth of 22.5 m (74 ft), while Lilla Delsjön lies directly to the east.[3]
The lakes form part of the Delsjöområdet nature reserve, a forested area set aside for environmental conservation and public recreation.[1] Water levels are regulated according to municipal drinking water needs; in the event of quality disruptions or elevated salinity in the Göta River, the river intake at Lärjeholm is temporarily closed and raw water is drawn directly from Delsjön to the Lackarebäck water treatment plant.[2][3]
History
[edit]Human settlement and usage around Delsjön date back several centuries. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surrounding forest and shorelines served as outlying pasture lands and croft settlements for regional agricultural estates, including Stora Torp.[1] As Gothenburg expanded during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, municipal authorities developed the Delsjön basin into a formal urban water supply reservoir to meet the growing population's demand.[3]
Recreation
[edit]Delsjön is one of Gothenburg's primary outdoor recreation areas.[1] A public beach equipped with jetties, piers, and amenities is situated on the northwestern shore of Stora Delsjön.[1] Additional recreational facilities around the lakes include maintained hiking and running trails, kayak and canoe rentals, sports fishing, and historic cafes along the shore of Lilla Delsjön.[1]
Gallery
[edit]- Lilla Delsjön and Stora Delsjön
Lilla Delsjön from N shore, June 27, 2020.
Lilla Delsjön, E shore, June 27, 2020.
Lilla Delsjön from SE, June 27, 2020.
The connection between Lilla and Stora Delsjön, direction NW, June 27, 2020.
Stora Delsjön, strait between the small island Delhuvudet and Brattklevs udde, June 26, 2020.
Stora Delsjön from the steep NW part, direction SE, July 9, 2020.
Stora Delsjön from the Stora Torps tånge promontory, direction S, July 9, 2020.
Sunset at Stora Delsjön, from SE, July 9, 2020.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Delsjön Nature Reserve". Goteborg.com. Göteborg & Co. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
- 1 2 "Gå inte ut på isen på Delsjöarna". Vårt Göteborg (in Swedish). Göteborgs Stad. 14 January 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Ballestero, E. (2003). Raw Water Storage Case study: Göteborg's Water Supply (PDF) (Technical report). Chalmers University of Technology. Retrieved 28 July 2026.