Icalma Lake
Icalma Lake is a lake of glacial origin located in the Andes of the La Araucanía Region of Chile. A hamlet on the southern shore of the lake is also called Icalma. About 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the hamlet is Icalma Pass, 1,307 metres (4,288 ft) in elevation and on the border with Argentina. The pass is traversed by a road, unpaved in Chile in 2017 and sometimes impassable during the Southern Hemisphere winter due to heavy snows. Icalma Airport is located 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) northeast of the hamlet.
| Icalma Lake | |
|---|---|
Icalma Lake | |
| Coordinates | 38°48′S 71°17′W |
| Primary inflows | Huillinco and Icalma rivers |
| Primary outflows | Rukanuco River |
| Catchment area | 150 km2 (58 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Chile |
| Max. length | 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) |
| Max. width | 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) |
| Surface area | 9.8 square kilometres (2,400 acres) |
| Average depth | 66 m (217 ft) |
| Max. depth | 135 m (443 ft) |
| Water volume | .6 cubic kilometres (490,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Surface elevation | 1,150 m (3,770 ft) |
| References | |
Icalma Lake is connected to the Laguna Chica de Icalma (Little Lake of Icalma) by a short stream about 300 metres (980 ft) long. The two lakes together have a surface area of 11.7 square kilometres (2,900 acres). Icalma Lake drains northeastwards by way of a 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long river named Rukanuco. Icalma Lake and nearby Galletué Lake are the sources of the Bio Bio River.