THE FRESH-WATER LOCHS OF SCOTLAND. 
175 
connected by the Abhuinn Owskeich, and half a mile to the south of 
Enard Bay, into which its waters are discharged by the river Garvie. 
The ground around the loch is low, especially to the north and west. 
The loch is over IJ miles in length, with a maximum breadth of three- 
quarters of a mile, the mean breadth being less than half a mile. Its 
waters cover an area of about 420 acres, or two-thirds of a square mile, 
and it drains directly an area of about 3 square miles, but since it 
receives the outflow from Lochs Bad a' Ghaill and Lurgain its total 
drainage area is about 20 square miles — an area thirty-one times 
greater than that of the loch. Over 100 soundings were taken, the 
maximum depth observed being 153 feet. The volume of water is 
estimated at 845,809,000 cubic feet, and the mean depth at 47 feet. 
Loch Owskeich forms a simple basin, but the deep water approaches 
very close to the south-eastern shore, off which the slopes are steep and 
in striking contrast to the gentle slopes at the north-west end of the 
loch. A sounding of 90 feet was recorded only 100 feet, and a sounding 
of 120 feet only 200 feet, from the eastern shore, and the maximum 
depth of the loch (153 feet) was observed about 300 yards from that 
shore. At the opposite end of the loch the 2 5 -feet contour-line is 
distant 300 yards, and the 50-feet contour half a mile, from the north- 
western shore. The 50-feet area is nearly a mile, and the 100-feet area 
nearly three-quarters of a mile, in length. In the shallower water 
towards the outflow one or two slight undulations of the lake-floor 
were observed. The areas between the consecutive contour-lines, and 
the percentages to the total area of the loch, are as follows — • 
0 to 
50 feet 
280 acres 
66 '3 per cent. 
50 „ 
100 ,, 
82 „ 
19-7 
100 ,, 
150 „ 
57 „ 
13-7 
Over 
150 „ 
1 ,, 
0-3 
420 ,, 
100*0 
Loch Owskeich was surveyed on September 18, 1902 ; the elevation 
of the lake-surface above the sea could not be determined, but when 
levelled by the Ordnance Survey officers on July 8, 1870, it was found 
to be 7L9 feet above sea-level. 
Temperature Ohservations . — Temperature observations taken at 
4 p.m. on September 18, 1902, in the deepest part of the loch gave the 
following results : — 
Surface .. ... ... ... ... ... ... 54°’8 Fahr. 
50 feet ... .. ... ... .. ... .. 54° ‘2 ,, 
100 ,, 53° -7 ,, 
130 ,, 50°-8 ,, 
This series shows a range of 4°, the greatest fall being one of 2°'9 
between 100 feet and the bottom. 
