Lake Milh
| Lake Milh | |
|---|---|
From space, June 1996 | |
| Coordinates | 32°45′09″N 43°38′06″E / 32.75250°N 43.63500°E |
| Type | Saline |
| Primary inflows | Canal from Lake Habbaniyah, ultimately the Euphrates |
| Primary outflows | Euphrates River |
| Basin countries | Iraq |
| Surface area | 1,562.34 km2 (603.22 sq mi) |
Lake Milh (Arabic: بحيرة ملح, romanized: Bahr al-Milh, lit. 'Sea of Salt'), also known as Lake Razzaza (Arabic: بحيرة الرزازة), is an artificial lake located a few miles west of Karbala, Iraq (32°41′N 43°40′E / 32.683°N 43.667°E). The lake is located in a depression into which excess water from Lake Habbaniyah, which comes from the Euphrates River, is diverted through a controlled escape channel or canal. The lake is listed as a wetland of international importance. The lake is rather shallow and the water level changes seasonally. Due to its salt content and changing water level, this largest freshwater lake in Iraq has lost its important stock of fish species and only a few recreational areas exist around the lake.