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Lake Amatitlán

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Primary inflows
  
Villalobos River

Basin countries
  
Guatemala

Max. width
  
3 km (1.9 mi)

Catchment area
  
368 km²

Surface elevation
  
1,188 m

Primary outflows
  
Michatoya River

Max. length
  
11 km (6.8 mi)

Area
  
15.2 km²

Length
  
11 km


Location
  
south-central Guatemala

Cities
  
Amatitlán, Villa Nueva, Guatemala, Villa Canales

Similar
  
Lake Atitlán, Pacaya, San Miguel Petapa, Acatenango, Naciones Unidas National

Lake Amatitlán (Lago Amatitlán, [laɣo amatiˈtlan]) is a volcanic lake in south-central Guatemala, fairly close to Guatemala City. It lies in the central highlands, 1,186 m (3890 feet) above sea level. Its maximum depth is 33 m (108 feet) and an average of 18 m (59 feet). The lake is 11 km (7 miles) long and 3 km (2 miles) wide; with an area of 15.2 square kilometers (5.9 sq mi) and a water volume of 0.286 cubic kilometers.

Contents

Map of Lake Amatitlan, Guatemala

The lake's primary inflow is the Villalobos River, and the lake is drained by the Michatoya River, an important tributary of the María Linda River. The town of Amatitlán is situated at the head of the Michatoya river. A dam with a railway on top was constructed at the narrowest point, thus effectively dividing the lake into two water bodies with different physical, chemical and biological characteristics: a north-western and a south-eastern basin.

The lake is used as a water source, for navigation and transportation, sightseeing and tourism (10,000 visitors annually), recreation (swimming, sport-fishing, water skiing, yachting) and fisheries.

History

As of 1850, the lake was used as a bathing lake and a resort area in the spring. Nearby hot springs were also popular with visitors.

Economy

In the mid 19th century, the lake was plentiful with crawfish, sardines, and other seafood. The seafood was captured and sold for the local region, as seafood was rarely imported into the area.

Pollution

Amatitlán lake's catchment area includes Guatemala City. Each year large quantities of untreated sewage, industrial waste and a staggering 500,000 tons of sediment are carried into the lake through the Villalobos River. This has contributed to high levels of pollution of the lake's water, and an accelerated eutrophication and siltation. This has seriously affected the lake's former function as a source of drinking water and irrigation, and reduced its recreational functions.

In early 2015, the Lake Amatitlan Authority commission granted a contract to the Israeli company M. Tarcic Engineering Ltd. for 137.8 million quetzals, to purchase 93 000 liters of an alleged decontaminant that it would apply to Lake Amatitlán. However, after complains and legal action from scientists, academia, politicians and environmentalists who questioned the Israeli company contract, then vicepresident Roxana Baldetti suspended the project on 30 March 2015 and froze both the payment to the company and any decontaminant pouring into the lake. Furthermore, Baldetti was forced to resign in early May 2015 due to the La Linea corruption case and was sent to prison on 21 August 2015.

Media related to Lago de Amatitlán at Wikimedia Commons

References

Lake Amatitlán Wikipedia