Lake Amatitlán
Lake Amatitlán (Lago Amatitlán, Spanish pronunciation: [laɣo amatiˈtlan]) is a lake located within the Amatitlán caldera 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) across at its widest; with an area of 15.2 square kilometers (5.9 sq mi) and a water volume of 0.286 cubic kilometers.
| Lake Amatitlán | |
|---|---|
The lake under Pacaya volcano (in background right) | |
Lake Amatitlán | |
| Location | south-central Guatemala |
| Coordinates | 14°28′16″N 90°34′54″W |
| Primary inflows | Villalobos River |
| Primary outflows | Michatoya River |
| Catchment area | 368 km2 (100 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Guatemala |
| Max. length | 11 km (6.8 mi) |
| Max. width | 3 km (1.9 mi) |
| Surface area | 15.2 km2 (5.9 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 33 m (108.3 ft) |
| Water volume | 0.286 km3 (0.1 cu mi) |
| Surface elevation | 1,188 m (3,897.6 ft) |
| Frozen | Never |
| Settlements | Amatitlán, Villa Canales, Villa Nueva |
| References | |
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 was used as a water source, for navigation and transportation, sightseeing and tourism. Until around 2010 when rapid pollution turned the lake green and the shores are full of plastic. The local population has tried to clean it but the lake remains heavily polluted and unswimmable