Editing Lake Balaton (section)

==Ecology==

Lake Balaton, Central Europe's largest shallow lake (area ≈ 594 km<sup>2</sup>; mean depth ≈ 3.3 m), extends 77 km W–E through Transdanubia, Hungary.  Because the Zala River delivers most of its inflow at the western end, the lake exhibits a persistent west-to-east trophic gradient from meso-eutrophic to oligo-mesotrophic conditions.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Bernát |first=G. |last2=Boros |first2=N. |year=2020 |title=Oligotrophication of Lake Balaton over a 20-year period and its implications for the relationship between phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass |journal=Hydrobiologia |volume=847 |pages=2371–2389 |doi=10.1007/s10750-020-04384-x}}</ref>
Balaton is polymictic: frequent wind mixing prevents stable summer stratification, although a weak diel thermocline develops in calm periods.  Average residence time is ~2.3 years; alkalinity (≈ 2 meq L<sup>-1</sup>) and pH (8.2–9.1) reflect the surrounding dolomitic catchment.  Restoration measures—most notably the two-stage *Kis-Balaton Water Protection System* (KBWPS)—and upgraded wastewater treatment have reduced external phosphorus loads since the 1990 s, yet episodic internal loading still triggers cyanobacterial blooms.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Istvánovics |first=V. |year=2007 |title=Updating water-quality targets for shallow Lake Balaton (Hungary), recovering from eutrophication |journal=Hydrobiologia |volume=581 |pages=305–318 |doi=10.1007/s10750-006-0508-1}}</ref>