Lugano, Lake

a lake in the Lombardy Alps, in Switzerland and Italy. Area, 49 sq km; maximum depth, 288 m. The lake surface is 274 m above sea level. The shores are steep, twisting, and picturesque. Lake Lugano drains into Lake Maggiore via the Tresa River. During the spring and summer the water level rises by 1.5 m as a result of the melting of snow in the Lugano basin. The lake is navigated. The middle section of the lake is spanned by a multiarch bridge, over which the railroad and highway linking the cities of Bellinzona (Switzerland) and Como (Italy) pass. The city of Lugano (Switzerland) is on the north shore. There are numerous resorts on the shores, and the lake attracts tourists.