Due to a heat wave and a lack of rainfall, the level of Lake Titicaca between Peru and Bolivia has reached an all-time low never before recorded. Since April alone, temperatures have dropped by more than half a meter to 3,808.05 meters above sea level.
Footage taken on Wednesday shows Laguna Colorada, a completely dry lagoon (see video above) near the Peru-Bolivia border. Animals and vehicles can walk or drive through it due to the lack of water.
“We are extremely concerned because this lagoon is historically part of the ecosystem of our city of Lampa. And because several birds lived here, such as the parihuana (Andean flamingo), the chocas, ducks, the pilpintos and others, since there was really a lot of water. Unfortunately, since last year we have seen that this lagoon does not have a single drop of water,” said the mayor of Lampa, Heraclides Ojeda Huarilloclla, describing the situation on the ground.
Altitude increases evaporation
According to the Peruvian Meteorological and Hydrological Service in Puno, rainfall in the region was 49 percent lower than average from August 2022 to March 2023, the so-called rainy season. Due to its high elevation, Lake Titicaca is exposed to high levels of solar radiation, which increases evaporation and causes most of the water loss.
Lucia Vilcasan, a resident of the area, told reporters that locals have to dig deep wells to access water and sometimes cannot find them. “We have to do the impossible to drink all this for ourselves and our animals,” she said.
Largest freshwater lake in South America
Lake Titicaca is located on the border between Peru and Bolivia in the Andes and, with an area of approximately 8,400 square kilometers, is the largest freshwater lake in South America. Located on the Andean Plateau, it is the highest commercially navigable body of water in the world. Surrounding the 190 kilometer long lake, which has an area of almost 8,400 square kilometers, lies the Reserva Nacional del Titicaca, a national park that protects rare aquatic animals such as giant frogs.
As a drinking water reservoir, the lake is of great importance for the approximately two million people in the region. However, because most of the wastewater from surrounding towns and mines flows untreated into the lake, water quality continues to deteriorate. The environmental organization Global Nature Fund has declared Lake Titicaca the Endangered Lake of the Year for 2023.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
