Lake Lanao

Lake Lanao
Lake Lanao
	Landsat photo
	Lake Lanao-Agus River watershed map
Location	Lanao del Sur
Coordinates	7°53′31″N 124°15′09″E / 7.89194°N 124.25250°E
Lake type	Rift Lake
Primary inflows	4 tributaries
Primary outflows	Agus River
Basin countries	Philippines
Max. length	33 km (21 mi)
Max. width	20 km (12 mi)
Surface area	340 km2 (130 sq mi)
Average depth	60.3 m (198 ft)
Max. depth	112 m (367 ft)
Shore length1	115 km (71 mi)
Surface elevation	700 m (2,300 ft)
Settlements	Marawi City
	1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Lanao (Maranao: Ranao or Ranaw)^[1] is a large lake in the Philippines, located in Lanao del Sur province in the country's southern island of Mindanao. With a surface area of 340 km². (131 square miles), it is the largest lake in Mindanao, and the second largest lake in the Philippines and counted as one of the 15 ancient lakes in the world.

Physical characteristics

The lake was formed by the tectonic-volcanic damming of a basin between two mountain ranges and the collapse of a large volcano. It has a maximum depth of 112 meters, and a mean depth of 60.3 meters. The basin is shallowest towards the north and gets progressively deeper towards the south.

The lake is fed by four rivers. Its only outlet is the Agus River, which flows northwest into Iligan Bay via two channels, one over the Maria Cristina Falls and the other over the Linamon Falls. A hydroelectric plant installed on the Lanao Lake and Agus River system generates 70% of the electricity used by the people of Mindanao.

The lake is a home of myths and legends of the Maranao tribe. The name Maranao was derived from the name of the lake and it means "the people living around the lake".

Biodiversity

Lake Lanao was proclaimed as a watershed reservation in 1992 through Presidential Proclamation 971 to ensure protection of forest cover and water yield for hydropower, irrigation and domestic use.

The lake is (or was) home to 18 endemic species of cyprinid fish (in genera Cephalakompsus, Mandibularca, Ospatulus and Puntius) and supports a large number of waterfowl.^[1] An investigations in 1992 only managed to locate three of the endemic fish species. It is believed that overfishing, pollution and competition from introduced species caused the extinction of the remaining.^[2]^[3]^[4] In October 2006, a study from the Mindanao State University discovered massive algae contamination in Lake Lanao.^[5] Initially, poor sewage and agricultural waste management were seen as the culprit to the contamination. However, the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources stated that soil erosion from indiscriminate logging and extensive land use and farming are the problems that caused the algae contamination.

In culture

A Maranao myth describes the formation of the lake.^[1]^[6] It is said that a group of angels under the command of Gabriel removed the vast population of Mantapoli to prevent the world from tipping over. The hole that was left was filled with water and threatened to drown the rest of the world. In response, the angels enlisted the help of the Four Winds to gouge out an outlet. The hole became Lake Lanao and the outlet became the Agus river.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Lake Lanao
^ Endangered Species Handbook: It's Too Late – Fish Extinctions. Retrieved 29 September 2012
^ Fiedler, P.L., and P.M. Kareiva, eds (1998). Conservation Biology - For the Coming Decade, 2nd edition, p. 211. ISBN 978-0412096617
^ Harrison, I.J., and M.L.J. Stiassny (1999). The Quiet Crisis. A preliminary listing of the freshwater fishes of the world that are Extinct or “Missing in Action". pp. 271-331 in: MacPhee, R.D.E., eds. (1999). Extinctions in Near Time. ISBN 978-0306460920
^ Contaminated Lake Lanao in danger
^ How the Angels Built Lake Lanao

External links

[lanao-1] Lake Lanao

[2] Endangered Species Handbook: It's Too Late – Fish Extinctions. Retrieved 29 September 2012

[3] Fiedler, P.L., and P.M. Kareiva, eds (1998). Conservation Biology - For the Coming Decade, 2nd edition, p. 211. ISBN 978-0412096617

[4] Harrison, I.J., and M.L.J. Stiassny (1999). The Quiet Crisis. A preliminary listing of the freshwater fishes of the world that are Extinct or “Missing in Action". pp. 271-331 in: MacPhee, R.D.E., eds. (1999). Extinctions in Near Time. ISBN 978-0306460920

[5] Contaminated Lake Lanao in danger

[6] How the Angels Built Lake Lanao

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v t e Lakes of the Philippines
Major	Laguna de Bay Lanao Taal Mainit Naujan Buluan Bato Buhi
Minor	Aguingay Alligator Apo Baao Balanan Balinsasayao Balukbaluk Basak Bito Buluan Bulusan Bunot Cabalian Calibato Dagianan Danao (Albay) Danao (Cebu) Danao (Leyte) Danao (Negros) Dapao Dasay Duminagat Gunao Kalanganan Kayangan Labas Lahit Leonard Lumao Manguao Mapanuepe Maragang Maughan Muhikap Nabua Napalit Pagusi Palakpakin Panamao Pandin and Yambo Paoay Pendo Pinamaloy Pinatubo Putia Sampaloc Sebu Seit Seloton Sultan Taal Main Crater Tadlac Talao Tikub Uyaan Venado Wood
Artificial	Ambuklao Binga Caliraya Chico La Mesa Labasin Lumot Magat Pantabangan Pulangi IV
Lakes portal Philippines portal

v t e Dams in the Philippines
Luzon	Ambuklao Angat Balbalungao Binga Bustos Caliraya Casecnan Ipo Kaliwa La Mesa Labasin Lumot Magat Molino Pasa Pantabangan Peñaranda San Roque Upper Tabuating Wawa
Visayas	Buhisan Jaclupan
Mindanao	Agus I II IV V VI VII Agusan Aragon Pulangi
Planned, proposed, and under construction systems are in italics.