Yangcheng Lake (Chinese: 阳澄湖; pinyin: Yángchéng Hú) is a freshwater lake about 3 km (1.9 mi) northeast of the city of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, and ranges in depth from 1.5–2 m (4 ft 11 in – 6 ft 7 in).[1] The lake is 17 kilometers (11 mi) long from north to south, with an average width of 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) from east to west. It is the most famous area of origin for the Chinese mitten crab, which is considered a delicacy.
Yangcheng lake is located between Lake Tai and the Yangtze River. It crosses the boundary of the cities Suzhou, Changshu and Kunshan and has a surface area of about 20 km2 (7.7 sq mi). The 2,310-meter (7,580 ft)-long Yangcheng West Lake Tunnel (阳澄西湖隧道) runs underneath the lake,[2] and the lake itself is served by both a mainline high-speed railway station Yangchenghu railway station and 2 stations of the Suzhou Rail Transit system: Yangchenghu South station on Line 5 and Yangchenghu East on Line 11.
The Chinese mitten crabs migrate from Yangcheng Lake towards the Yangtze delta for mating in September and October. The local fishermen harvest the animals during this migration. In 2002, the total production of Chinese mitten crabs in Yangcheng Lake was estimated to be about 1,500 t (1,500 long tons; 1,700 short tons).
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