Castle Loch is a shallow eutrophic loch covering an area of around 100 hectares in the town of Lochmaben in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It lies to the west of Mochrum Loch[1] and has 2 islets. The ruined Lochmaben Castle lies at the southern end of the loch.
| Castle Loch | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Castle Loch | |
| Location | Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 54°50′58″N 4°40′13″W / 54.8495°N 4.67030°W |
| Type | freshwater loch |
| Primary inflows | several small burns |
| Primary outflows | Castle Loch burn |
| Basin countries | Scotland |
| Max. length | 1.25 mi (2.01 km)[1] |
| Max. width | 0.5 mi (0.80 km)[1] |
| Surface area | 92.5 ha (229 acres)[2] |
| Average depth | 6.5 ft (2.0 m)[1] |
| Max. depth | 11 ft (3.4 m)[1] |
| Water volume | 65,000,000 cu ft (1,800,000 m3)[1] |
| Shore length1 | 6.4 km (4.0 mi)[2] |
| Surface elevation | 85 m (279 ft)[2] |
| Islands | 2 islets[2] |
| Official name | Castle Loch, Lochmaben |
| Designated | 15 March 1996 |
| Reference no. | 796[3] |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Survey
The loch was surveyed[1] in 1903 by James Murray and later charted [4] as part of Sir John Murray's Bathymetrical Survey of Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland 1897-1909.
Wildlife and conservation
Castle Loch is an important over-wintering location for the pink-footed goose and the goosander. It has been recognised as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,[3] and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.[5]