Lake Coatepeque
| Lake Coatepeque | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| Lago de Coatepeque with the island of Teopan - aerial view. | ||
| Geographical location | El Salvador | |
| Location close to the shore | Santa Ana | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 13 ° 52 '12 " N , 89 ° 33' 0" W | |
|
||
| Altitude above sea level | 746 m | |
| surface | 24.5 km² | |
| Maximum depth | 80-130 m | |
The Lago de Coatepeque ("snake hill") is a 24.5 km² large crater lake in El Salvador and is counted among the most beautiful natural lakes in Central America .
Geography and geology
The lake is at an altitude of 746 meters above sea level. d. About 17 kilometers (as the crow flies) south of the city of Santa Ana in the department of the same name . It is approx. 50 kilometers to the south-east to the capital San Salvador . The conical island of Teopan (also: Isla del Cerro ) is located at the southern end of the lake.
The Lago de Coatepeque is of volcanic origin; its age is estimated to be around 50,000 to 70,000 years. The most recent volcanic activity dates back around 8,000 to 10,000 years; this formed the cones of smaller side volcanoes - perhaps also that of the island of Teopan.
The caldera of the former volcano with its 80 meter high crater walls covers an area of around 40.5 square kilometers, of which the lake surface takes up a little more than half. The lake has neither inflows nor outflows - it is only fed by rainfall (between 1400 and 2000 millimeters annually); its surface level is subject to weather-related and seasonal fluctuations of a maximum of 1.50 meters. The information about the depth of the water varies between 80 and 130 meters. The water temperatures on the lake surface are around 24 ° C all year round; even at greater depths they are still around 22 ° C.
There are several hot springs around the lake.
economy
Three municipalities border the lake: Santa Ana, Izalco and El Kongo; a total of twelve villages, which can be reached by ferry, fish. The annual catch is around 70,000 to 80,000 tons; there are still no aquacultures . In the 1990s, the African cichlid species Oreochromis niloticus was released , which develops well in the warm water temperatures; whether they are native fish species such as the cichlid species Parachromis managuensis , Astatheros macracanthus and Amatitlania nigrofasciata and the like. a. will displace remains to be seen. The lake and its unspoilt, wooded shoreline do not (yet) play a major role in tourism, although the first smaller eco-hotels and lodges have already emerged.
