The
Gallocanta
lagoon is in the middle of the Iberian Mountain
Range, on a plateau 1,000 metres above sea level.
It is a large endorheic steppe depression which began
to form at the end of the Tertiary Age (about 2 million
years ago), and continued to develop throughout the
Quaternary Age.
The system of lagoons which used to extend over the
entire basin is today limited to a few active areas
the most important of which are the Gallocanta
and Zaida lagoons, the Guialguerrero
lagoon plus two small lagoons in
Santed, one with freshwater and the other
with salt water.
The Gallocanta lagoon covers an
area of 14.4 km². Its maximum width is 2.8 km
and it is 7.7 km long. Its maximum capacity is 5 hm³
and its waters are usually 45-50 cm deep, although
during period of heavy rainfall they may rise to 2
m.