| Shala | |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Albania |
| Source1: | Okol, Theth |
| Source1 Location: | Shkodër County |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 42.4217°N 19.7581°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 950m (3,120feet) |
| Mouth: | Lake Koman |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 42.2014°N 19.8169°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 175m (574feet) |
| Length: | 36km (22miles) |
| Basin Size: | 269km² |
The Shalë (Albanian: Shala) or Lumi i Shalës is a river flowing inside the Albanian Alps in northern Albania. Its source is near the village of Theth, close to the border with Montenegro in the Alps of Albania National Park. It drains the central part of the alps to the south and flows into the artificially dammed Drin as lake Koman near the village Telum.[1]
The Shalë flows generally south through the municipal units Shalë, Shosh and Temal and has a length of 37 km. It springs at the source of Shtraza at the top of Theth village, at the foot of Radohina, from where it descends down through the valley of Shala, Thethi, Ndërlysa and Musha, from Breg-Lumi to Porta e Shalës (Gorge of Rrshqëm), through Lotaj and in the valley of Shoshi, discharging into lake Koman. It is a mountain river with an average drop of 22 meters in one kilometer.
Shala River is distinguished by its crystalline water, with an average annual flow of about 34 m³ / sec. The maximum inflows reach in November with 52m³ / sec, while the minimum inflows in August in which it reaches 9m³ / sec. It is rich in fish, but the most widespread is trout.[2]
The cool blue color of the water is characteristic of this river, the steep cliffs that surround it, seem to touch the sky by hand. The river has become a tourist destination for both foreigners and locals, from where many visitors describe it as the pearl of the beauties of Koman and Albania.[3]