Laguna de Catemaco, Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico
Laguna de Catemaco (Lake Catemaco)
Laguna de Catemaco (Lake Catemaco)
Lagoon in English generally describes a body of water exposed to the
sea. In Mexican Spanish the translation of laguna seems to refer to that
plus the word lake in general. Common usage is Laguna de Catemaco,
though scientific articles prefer the term Lake Catemaco. (Lago
Catemaco in Spanish) . Laguna Catemaco it is.
The lake is shallow, averaging 7.6 m (25 feet), with a maximum depth of
22 meters located in the channel between Isla Agaltepec and the City of
Catemaco. The circulation pattern is clock wise.
The laguna drains via the Rio Grande de Catemaco and its water level is
controlled by several dams which replaced a popular waterfall.
The change in water level is more than can be explained by evaporation
and outflow. Apparently the laguna sits upon fissures permitting water
to percolate down.
The tropical rainforest that once covered all the watershed (cuenca) of
the lake has been severely decimated in the last few decades.
Consequently sedimentation has greatly increased, affecting the clarity
of its waters and if left uncontrolled will possibly fill in the lake in the far
future. If a substantial draught should ever occur combined with
continuous runoff sedimentation, a name change to the "Catemaco Mud
Flats" might become appropriate.
Prevailing climate is hot and humid with average temperature of 23.4º C
(75 F). Rainfall varies seasonally with averages of 2,068 mm (81
inches) recorded at Catemaco and 4,614 mm at Coyame.
Winds from the Gulf of Mexico enter the Catemaco laguna watershed
through an opening in the surrounding sierra located to the north of the
town of Coyame, and cross the lake in a NE-SW direction, blowing
strongly over the lake throughout the year. From February to October,
northeast winds are dominant. Colder and faster northern winds blow
from November to January.
Lake Catemaco has a surface area of 72.54 km2 (28 square miles). Its
contour is shaped like an elliptical parabola and it is almost square with
maximum width and axis of a little more than 10 km (6.2 miles), (10,250
m width and a WSW-ENE axis of 12,320 m).
It contains about 552 million cubic meters of water. To you farmers out
there, that´s about 420,000 acre feet. The laguna is Mexico´s #18 in
size of water bodies, #7 in size of lakes & lagunas, #3 in size of true
lakes.
The shoreline is irregular, with remnants of several volcanic cones and
its perimeter is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) and would be an ideal
venue for 50K sporting events such as 50K walk, 50K run, 50K bike
etc., - if circumnavigation were possible. At present a gap in the lake
shore road at Tepeyaga peninsula prohibits this.
There are several volcanic islands within the lake. One of these islands
is stocked with native Howler monkeys for a University of Veracruz
research project. Other islands contain free ranging Macaque monkeys
originally imported from Thailand for a now abandoned project. This has
led to more than 70 small boats (lanchas) scurrying tourists from
Catemaco city across the lake to view these Thai monkeys.
The lake is polymictic (water turns over more than twice a year), well
oxygenated, and contains excessive nutrients (eutrophic) because of
fertilizer runoff from the neighboring farms and nursery.
Because of the excessive nutrients, Laguna Catemaco is one of the
more productive lakes in Mexico, up to 1,800 tons? annually. Large
netting is prohibited to assure the livelihood of 100´s of registered
fishermen. A perch like fish introduced from Africa (Mojarra Tilapia), a
sardine like Topote, and the snail Tegogolo are the most common
catches.
.
sea. In Mexican Spanish the translation of laguna seems to refer to that
plus the word lake in general. Common usage is Laguna de Catemaco,
though scientific articles prefer the term Lake Catemaco. (Lago
Catemaco in Spanish) . Laguna Catemaco it is.
The lake is shallow, averaging 7.6 m (25 feet), with a maximum depth of
22 meters located in the channel between Isla Agaltepec and the City of
Catemaco. The circulation pattern is clock wise.
The laguna drains via the Rio Grande de Catemaco and its water level is
controlled by several dams which replaced a popular waterfall.
The change in water level is more than can be explained by evaporation
and outflow. Apparently the laguna sits upon fissures permitting water
to percolate down.
The tropical rainforest that once covered all the watershed (cuenca) of
the lake has been severely decimated in the last few decades.
Consequently sedimentation has greatly increased, affecting the clarity
of its waters and if left uncontrolled will possibly fill in the lake in the far
future. If a substantial draught should ever occur combined with
continuous runoff sedimentation, a name change to the "Catemaco Mud
Flats" might become appropriate.
Prevailing climate is hot and humid with average temperature of 23.4º C
(75 F). Rainfall varies seasonally with averages of 2,068 mm (81
inches) recorded at Catemaco and 4,614 mm at Coyame.
Winds from the Gulf of Mexico enter the Catemaco laguna watershed
through an opening in the surrounding sierra located to the north of the
town of Coyame, and cross the lake in a NE-SW direction, blowing
strongly over the lake throughout the year. From February to October,
northeast winds are dominant. Colder and faster northern winds blow
from November to January.
Lake Catemaco has a surface area of 72.54 km2 (28 square miles). Its
contour is shaped like an elliptical parabola and it is almost square with
maximum width and axis of a little more than 10 km (6.2 miles), (10,250
m width and a WSW-ENE axis of 12,320 m).
It contains about 552 million cubic meters of water. To you farmers out
there, that´s about 420,000 acre feet. The laguna is Mexico´s #18 in
size of water bodies, #7 in size of lakes & lagunas, #3 in size of true
lakes.
The shoreline is irregular, with remnants of several volcanic cones and
its perimeter is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) and would be an ideal
venue for 50K sporting events such as 50K walk, 50K run, 50K bike
etc., - if circumnavigation were possible. At present a gap in the lake
shore road at Tepeyaga peninsula prohibits this.
There are several volcanic islands within the lake. One of these islands
is stocked with native Howler monkeys for a University of Veracruz
research project. Other islands contain free ranging Macaque monkeys
originally imported from Thailand for a now abandoned project. This has
led to more than 70 small boats (lanchas) scurrying tourists from
Catemaco city across the lake to view these Thai monkeys.
The lake is polymictic (water turns over more than twice a year), well
oxygenated, and contains excessive nutrients (eutrophic) because of
fertilizer runoff from the neighboring farms and nursery.
Because of the excessive nutrients, Laguna Catemaco is one of the
more productive lakes in Mexico, up to 1,800 tons? annually. Large
netting is prohibited to assure the livelihood of 100´s of registered
fishermen. A perch like fish introduced from Africa (Mojarra Tilapia), a
sardine like Topote, and the snail Tegogolo are the most common
catches.
.
|
Laguna Catemaco is not a crater lake. It was formed millenia ago, when lava flow
from Volcano San Martin Tuxtla blocked its current northern end, and now the laguna
stands at 1115 feet above sea level.
Laguna Catemaco is located at the center of the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas in south
central Veracruz, east central Mexico, centered on 18.21 N, 95.01 W at the
northernmost limit of the tropical rain forest ecosystem of the American continent.
from Volcano San Martin Tuxtla blocked its current northern end, and now the laguna
stands at 1115 feet above sea level.
Laguna Catemaco is located at the center of the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas in south
central Veracruz, east central Mexico, centered on 18.21 N, 95.01 W at the
northernmost limit of the tropical rain forest ecosystem of the American continent.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| | | | | | |