With the water level remaining roughly one-and-a-half feet above the 30-year historical average, one of Europe's largest lakes has left experts and locals stunned.

According to ERR, the high water levels have been a boon for local fish populations and human swimmers alike.

The high water level at Lake Peipus, which straddles the border between Estonia and Russia, has been particularly surprising as the calendar has neared October, when the lake typically reaches its lowest levels of the year, per the publication.

The water level has been so high that in many areas that the sandy shorelines that typically surround the lake have been practically erased.

"The waves come right up to the brush," said Piia Mändmets, the owner of Kauksi Holiday Village, which operates vacation rentals along the shore of Lake Peipus, according to ERR.

The higher-than-usual water levels have benefited fish while also limiting algal blooms, which often occur during the spring and summer months.

With the high water level persisting so late into the season, experts have predicted that the lake will remain at above-average depths into next spring.

"Since there's little evaporation, the current water level could persist through spring, meaning even pike, which like to spawn in floodplains, may already have favorable conditions for their spring spawning," said Lea Tuvikene, a hydrobiologist at the Estonian University of Life Sciences, per ERR.

However, the high water level has had its drawbacks, too, with parking lots and basements near the lake becoming flooded, Mändmets said.

At over 1,370 square miles, Lake Peipus is Europe's largest transboundary lake and the continent's fourth largest lake overall, according to the Living Lakes Network.

Do you worry about the longevity of EV batteries? For sure 💯 Not really 🤷 Not at all 🙅 I've never thought about it 🤔 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

With approximately 30 different rivers and streams emptying into the vast inland body of water, its water level rises three feet or more each spring, expanding its overall area by as much as 300 square miles.

Until recently, the region's frigid winters left the lake covered in ice approximately two feet thick. The ice used to be so thick that the frozen lake was the site of an epic battle that took place in 1242, per the Living Lakes Network.

However, warmer wintertime temperatures have meant that the thickness of the ice has lessened considerably in recent years.

"Due to climate change, 2020 was the first year this was not the case, and it will continue to decrease in the future," the Living Lakes Network website said, referring to the lake's usual thick sheet of ice.

While it remains to be seen what impact rising global temperatures will have on the lake's water level over the long term, for now, humans and wildlife alike have been reaping the benefits of one of the highest water levels seen in the last 105 years.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.