1488:
791:
95:
65:
499:
528:
336:
102:
72:
48:
624:
417:. By December 2015, the lake had completely dried up, leaving only a few marshy areas. Despite the lake rebounding from two previous recorded drying instances, as of 2016, the lake's recovery is considered unlikely. Suggested causes of the decline are the melting of the Andes glaciers and loss of their waters, because of a drought
519:. But the efforts have been unable to offset other changes: since 1995 regional temperatures have risen and consequently tripled evaporation rates. In addition, water was drawn off for mining and irrigation, compounding the problems. On 20 January 2016 the area was declared a disaster zone by the Bolivian government.
506:
When the water level of Lake
Titicaca was below 3,810 m (12,500 ft), the flow of Desaguadero River was so low it could no longer compensate for the massive water losses due to evaporation from the surface of Lake Poopó. At this point, the lake volume began to decrease. At its maximum in
778:
The sparse communities nearby have suffered culturally and financially due to the loss of the lake, as the local economy was dependent on lake fishing. Additionally, many bird species native to
Bolivia and internationally have been affected due to loss of food, and an annual migration area.
511:
of 3,500 km (1,400 sq mi). During the years that followed, the surface area steadily decreased until 1994, when the lake disappeared completely. The time period between 1975 and 1992 was the longest period in recent times when the lake had a continuous water body.
535:
The water of Lake Poopó was highly saline. The salinity was a result of the endorheic nature of the hydrological system on the
Altiplano, which allowed all weathered ions to remain in the system. The salinity of Lake Poopó was further increased by the
1212:
463:
300 – 900 AD), have concluded that the size of the inhabited areas increased. The South Poopó inhabitants developed a unique style of ceramics style with triangular spirals. The east portion of the lake has evidence of an important
1296:
863:
445:, such as villages and towns, were developed that expanded into the Poopó basin during the Late Formative period, (200 BC – 200 AD), probably in conjunction with changing patterns of agriculture.
402:. The permanent part of the lake body covered approximately 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi) and it was the second-largest lake in the country. The lake received most of its water from the
1006:
398:
of approximately 3,700 m (12,100 ft). Due to the lake's length and width (90 by 32 km; 56 by 20 mi), it made up the eastern half of Oruro, known as a mining region in southwest
483:. There were numerous smaller inlets along the eastern shore of the lake, many of which were dry most of the year. At times of very high water levels, Poopó was connected to the salt desert
988:
931:
410:
at the north end of the
Altiplano. Since the lake lacked any major outlet and had a mean depth of less than 3 m (10 ft), the surface area differed greatly seasonally.
720:. The lake had a relatively large fish population, but by 2017 pollution and the near-complete reduction of water had all but decimated the locally important fishing industry.
620:
army. After
Spanish colonization in the 16th century, the mining operations increased in scale. At this point the region became known as one of the mining centres of Bolivia.
1077:
1140:
1278:
Rocha, O.O. (editor): "Diagóstico de los recursos naturales y culturales de los lagos Poopó y Uru Uru, Oruro – Bolivia". Convención Ramsar, WCS/Bolivia, La Paz, 2002.
1341:
739:), which mainly lived in the shallow lagoons in the northern and eastern parts of the lake. An inventory of the bird population, made in 2000 in cooperation with
892:
1051:
1002:
1306:
479:
The main inlet of Lake Poopó (roughly 92% of the water) came from the
Desaguadero River, which entered the lake at the north end. It flowed south from
1526:
531:
Fishing in Lake Poopó was small scale and carried out using rowing boats and small nets. The image shows boats owned by fishermen from
Llapallapani.
1245:
984:
471:, with ceramic styles from the core Titicaca area and surrounding styles, demonstrating the interactions between different peoples in the area.
351:. The lower photo shows the extent of flooding of the western salt flats, sufficient to create an ephemeral island – as shown by the rectangle.
939:
1334:
1091:
141:
1020:
1516:
592:, are present in the drainage area. These could also contribute to the salinity of Lake Poopó. The lake body was situated on top of
94:
1311:
1069:
561:
The salinity varied with water volume. During
October and November 2006, the salinity in the north end of the lake varied between
1327:
1536:
1521:
673:
The major part of the heavy metals transported to Lake Poopó were immobilized in the bottom sediments. But concentrations of
1189:
1148:
1511:
1301:
430:
770:
experienced great disturbances. As a result, there was hardly any vegetation to be found on the shores of the lake.
1531:
515:
Action has been taken in order to make the area ecologically sustainable again, with the help of funding from the
64:
1047:
864:"El dramático fin del segundo lago más grande de Bolivia: hoy se encuentra sin agua y convertido en un desierto"
632:
723:
The aquatic bird life was very diverse, with a total of 34 species. Most famous are the three species of
403:
348:
195:
1448:
686:
596:
deposits, consisting mainly of unconsolidated material. These sediments are the remains of extensive
418:
706:
491:
in the far south of the
Altiplano, but as the lake lacks any major outlet, it is classified as an
716:
1095:
456:
coexisted with more sedentary farmers in a harmonious system of exchange of goods and services.
1443:
740:
1412:
1407:
1250:
1172:
Water resources management efforts for best water allocation in the Lake Poopo basin, Bolivia
202:
173:
635:
along the eastern border of the Poopó basin. The most important minerals to the economy are
650:
in surface and ground waters of the Poopó basin. These metals are naturally present in the
453:
379:
961:
8:
732:
766:
were identified in and around Lake Poopó. Due to the constant drought and flooding, the
616:
in the Poopó Basin. Extraction of metals was ordered in the 13th century to support the
1541:
1360:
744:
711:
340:
188:
1474:
1220:
902:
839:
459:
Other investigators examining the following period, the Early
Regional Developments (
438:
414:
294:
1402:
1117:
658:
processes. The mining activities in the area further contributes to the heavy metal
1383:
736:
484:
387:
370:
359:
37:
569:(15–30,000 mg/L). In the south end of the lake the water was classified as a
1175:
804:
748:
728:
699:
581:
492:
985:"Ramsar, with Bolivia's help, surpasses 200 million hectares of global coverage"
893:"The ecological catastrophe that turned a vast Bolivian lake into a salt desert"
1378:
516:
488:
347:. Rainfall afterwards resulted in flooding of Poopó with muddy waters from the
274:
228:
218:
498:
1505:
1394:
1368:
1224:
906:
767:
752:
480:
407:
339:
The top photo shows the lake with low water levels, exposing large tracts of
156:
143:
550:
In the northern end of Lake Poopó, dilution of the salinity occurred due to
1492:
1438:
897:
796:
759:
647:
527:
1458:
1319:
814:
597:
544:
375:
282:
210:
335:
1428:
655:
601:
551:
442:
278:
189:
421:, as well as continued diversion of water for mining and agriculture.
413:
In 2002, the lake was designated as a site for conservation under the
203:
1351:
697:
There were only three fish species in the system: the native pupfish
659:
589:
383:
181:
178:
127:
573:(105,000–125,000 mg/L). The water type was a 4–2 Na-(Mg)-Cl-(SO
834:
724:
593:
566:
562:
555:
465:
395:
344:
682:
674:
651:
540:
468:
399:
391:
663:
636:
613:
585:
446:
434:
1285:, Boletin del Servicio geológico de Bolivia N 7, La Paz, 1996.
1433:
1312:
NASA - Lake Titicaca, Lake Poopó, and Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
1246:"Bolivia's 'People of the Water' try to survive loss of lake"
763:
570:
450:
47:
932:"Lake Poopó, Second Largest In Bolivia, Dries Up Completely"
623:
1453:
1092:"Central places formation at the southern Poopó lake basin"
809:
678:
617:
537:
508:
1067:
631:
The mining districts are situated at the foothills of the
1141:"National disaster declared upon drying up of Lake Poopó"
667:
640:
1307:
NASA - Satellite images and information about Lake Poopó
600:
lakes, which covered the Altiplano during at least five
627:
Salt crystals in footprints on the shore of Lake Poopó
1190:"Dying and Drying: The Case of Bolivia's Lake Poopó"
1005:. Ramsar Convention Sectretariat. 25 February 2003.
1003:"Bolivia completes Ramsar SGF project on Lake Poopó"
786:
1070:"Disappearance of Bolivia's No. 2 lake a harbinger"
987:. Ramsar Convention Sectretariat. 2 February 2013.
1468:Other paleolakes and lake expansions in the region
862:Machicao, Dave Sherwood y Monica (4 August 2021).
773:
1503:
1283:Mapas temáticos de recursos minerales de Bolivia
1068:Valdez, Carlos; Bajak, Frank (21 January 2016).
1021:"Climate Change Claims; a Lake, and an Identity"
929:
134:
1213:"Climate Change Claims a Lake, and an Identity"
429:Archaeological investigations conducted by the
1302:Master thesis about heavy metals in Lake Poopó
1138:
751:. Among these are the Andean flamingo and the
646:Studies have shown elevated concentrations of
1335:
29:
1211:Casey, Nicholas; Haner, Josh (7 July 2016).
1169:
925:
923:
1349:
1342:
1328:
1210:
1045:
886:
884:
607:
558:of the water increased towards the south.
554:flow from the Desaguadero River. The salt
424:
1273:Geografia y Recursos Naturales de Bolivia
1187:
1063:
1061:
920:
1527:Archaeological cultures of South America
861:
685:in the lake water exceeded Bolivian and
622:
526:
497:
334:
881:
654:, from which they are released through
522:
223:27,700 km (10,700 sq mi)
1504:
1058:
1054:from the original on 19 December 2015.
991:from the original on 5 September 2015.
437:, Bolivia, shows the influence of the
1323:
1094:. Uppsala Universitet. Archived from
1080:from the original on 9 February 2016.
1009:from the original on 9 February 2016.
930:Paskevics, Emily (19 December 2015).
890:
689:guideline values for drinking water.
369:
52:Aerial photograph of the lake in 1991
1275:, 3rd Edition, EDOBOL, La Paz, 1997.
1268:, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall, 1997.
487:in the west. A minor outlet led to
441:in the Poopó area. Complex central
246:1,000 km (390 sq mi)
13:
1266:The Geochemistry of Natural Waters
1139:Mururi, Manish (21 January 2016).
936:Headlines & Global News (HNGN)
891:Blair, Laurence (4 January 2018).
692:
254:>1 m (3 ft 3 in)
101:
71:
14:
1553:
1290:
1517:Endorheic lakes of South America
1486:
789:
474:
100:
93:
70:
63:
46:
1281:Troëng, B., Riera-Kilibarda C.
1238:
1204:
1181:
1163:
1132:
1110:
1084:
774:Effects of the loss of the lake
1039:
1013:
995:
976:
954:
855:
827:
1:
1537:Former lakes of South America
1522:Saline lakes of South America
820:
666:and mechanical processing of
612:There is a long tradition of
502:Historic Levels of Lake Poopó
460:
262:3,686 m (12,093 ft)
7:
782:
10:
1558:
1188:Whitt, V. (30 June 2017).
1512:Lakes of Oruro Department
1483:
1467:
1421:
1392:
1358:
1120:. Encyclopædia Britannica
964:. Encyclopædia Britannica
842:Sites Information Service
687:World Health Organization
329:
325:
317:
309:
301:
292:
288:
270:
266:
258:
250:
242:
238:
227:
217:
201:
187:
172:
133:
123:
114:Show map of South America
57:
45:
28:
23:
707:Trichomycterus rivulatus
1532:Ramsar sites in Bolivia
835:"Lagos Poopó y Uru Uru"
717:Odontesthes bonariensis
608:Mining and heavy metals
547:from the lake surface.
425:Archaeological evidence
1359:Present-day lakes and
741:BirdLife International
670:speed up the process.
628:
580:Geological sources of
532:
507:1986, the lake had an
503:
449:and the life style of
371:[ˈlaɣopo.oˈpo]
363:
352:
30:
16:Saline lake in Bolivia
1251:Associated Press News
1170:Calizaya, A. (2009),
1048:"Lake Poopó Dries Up"
662:. Acid leaching from
626:
530:
501:
431:San Andrés University
419:due to climate change
338:
305:Lagos Poopó y Uru Uru
747:and others that are
523:Salinity and geology
1393:Lake expansions of
633:Cordillera Oriental
406:, which flows from
153: /
84:Show map of Bolivia
1217:The New York Times
1151:on 22 January 2016
942:on 9 February 2016
745:threatened species
629:
533:
504:
353:
318:Reference no.
1499:
1498:
1475:Cancosa paleolake
1297:Google Earth view
1264:Drever, James I:
762:and 3 species of
454:caravan merchants
439:Wankarani culture
415:Ramsar Convention
404:Desaguadero River
349:Desaguadero River
333:
332:
259:Surface elevation
196:River Desaguadero
157:18.550°S 67.083°W
1549:
1493:Lakes portal
1491:
1490:
1489:
1384:Salar de Coipasa
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1235:
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1231:
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1202:
1201:
1199:
1197:
1185:
1179:
1178:
1167:
1161:
1160:
1158:
1156:
1147:. Archived from
1136:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1125:
1114:
1108:
1107:
1105:
1103:
1088:
1082:
1081:
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1046:Mercado, David.
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999:
993:
992:
980:
974:
973:
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969:
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949:
947:
938:. Archived from
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915:
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888:
879:
878:
876:
874:
859:
853:
852:
850:
848:
831:
799:
794:
793:
792:
584:(NaCl), such as
485:Salar de Coipasa
462:
388:Oruro Department
373:
368:
205:
204:Primary outflows
191:
168:
167:
165:
164:
163:
162:-18.550; -67.083
158:
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1271:Montes de Oca;
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1176:Lund University
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1145:Biotech in Asia
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1074:The News-Herald
1066:
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805:Desertification
795:
790:
788:
785:
776:
749:near-threatened
743:, identified 6
695:
693:Flora and fauna
610:
582:sodium chloride
576:
525:
493:endorheic basin
477:
427:
366:
297:
277:
231: countries
190:Primary inflows
161:
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152:
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88:
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53:
35:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1524:
1519:
1514:
1497:
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1478:
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1465:
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1462:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1425:
1423:
1419:
1418:
1416:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1403:Lake Ballivián
1399:
1397:
1390:
1389:
1387:
1386:
1381:
1379:Salar de Uyuni
1376:
1371:
1365:
1363:
1356:
1355:
1347:
1346:
1339:
1332:
1324:
1315:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1292:
1291:External links
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1261:
1258:
1257:
1254:. 9 June 2021.
1237:
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1098:on 9 June 2007
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1038:
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994:
975:
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825:
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758:A total of 17
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517:European Union
489:Salar de Uyuni
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374:) was a large
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1426:
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1422:Ancient lakes
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1411:
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1404:
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1398:
1396:
1395:Lake Titicaca
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1369:Lake Titicaca
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1350:Lakes on the
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1340:
1338:
1333:
1331:
1326:
1325:
1322:
1318:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1294:
1284:
1280:
1277:
1274:
1270:
1267:
1263:
1262:
1253:
1252:
1247:
1241:
1226:
1222:
1218:
1214:
1207:
1191:
1184:
1177:
1173:
1166:
1150:
1146:
1142:
1135:
1119:
1113:
1097:
1093:
1087:
1079:
1075:
1071:
1064:
1062:
1053:
1049:
1042:
1027:. 7 July 2016
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1022:
1016:
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990:
986:
982:11 July 2002
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865:
858:
843:
841:
836:
830:
826:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
802:
798:
787:
780:
771:
769:
768:littoral zone
765:
761:
760:higher plants
756:
754:
753:Andean condor
750:
746:
742:
738:
734:
730:
726:
721:
719:
718:
713:
709:
708:
703:
701:
690:
688:
684:
680:
676:
671:
669:
665:
661:
657:
653:
649:
644:
642:
638:
634:
625:
621:
619:
615:
605:
603:
599:
595:
591:
587:
583:
578:
572:
568:
564:
559:
557:
553:
548:
546:
543:and the high
542:
539:
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520:
518:
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510:
500:
496:
494:
490:
486:
482:
481:Lake Titicaca
475:Lake dynamics
472:
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467:
457:
455:
452:
448:
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440:
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422:
420:
416:
411:
409:
408:Lake Titicaca
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401:
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389:
385:
381:
378:in a shallow
377:
372:
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361:
357:
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346:
342:
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328:
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308:
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302:Official name
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1230:28 September
1228:. Retrieved
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1194:. Retrieved
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1153:. Retrieved
1149:the original
1144:
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1122:. Retrieved
1118:"Lake Poopó"
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1100:. Retrieved
1096:the original
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1029:. Retrieved
1024:
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978:
966:. Retrieved
962:"Lake Poopó"
956:
944:. Retrieved
940:the original
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898:The Guardian
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797:Lakes portal
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313:11 July 2002
243:Surface area
209:
18:
1459:Lake Escara
1050:. Reuters.
815:Tulare Lake
714:silverside
598:prehistoric
545:evaporation
443:urban areas
376:saline lake
271:Settlements
211:evaporation
160: /
135:Coordinates
1506:Categories
1449:Inca Huasi
1429:Lake Tauca
1374:Lake Poopó
1196:23 January
1155:21 January
946:9 February
912:16 October
868:La Tercera
821:References
712:introduced
710:, and the
656:weathering
602:glaciation
552:freshwater
380:depression
364:Lago Poopó
356:Lake Poopó
310:Designated
279:Challapata
108:Lake Poopó
78:Lake Poopó
31:Lago Poopó
24:Lake Poopó
1542:Altiplano
1361:salt pans
1352:Altiplano
1225:0362-4331
907:0261-3077
702:agassizii
660:pollution
604:periods.
590:feldspars
384:Altiplano
345:mud flats
182:salt lake
179:Endorheic
128:Altiplano
1078:Archived
1052:Archived
1007:Archived
989:Archived
873:4 August
847:25 April
783:See also
725:flamingo
700:Orestias
594:Cenozoic
563:brackish
556:gradient
466:Tiwanaku
396:altitude
394:, at an
367:Spanish:
124:Location
1444:Salinas
1192:. nacla
1124:3 March
1102:18 July
1031:10 July
1025:NYTimes
968:18 July
737:Chilean
733:James's
683:cadmium
675:arsenic
652:bedrock
541:climate
469:enclave
447:Herders
400:Bolivia
392:Bolivia
382:in the
360:Spanish
234:Bolivia
148:67°05′W
145:18°33′S
38:Spanish
1413:Mataro
1408:Cabana
1223:
905:
840:Ramsar
729:Andean
681:, and
637:silver
614:mining
586:halite
567:saline
435:La Paz
34:
1434:Sajsi
764:algae
664:mines
571:brine
451:llama
283:Huari
275:Oruro
229:Basin
1454:Ouki
1232:2019
1221:ISSN
1198:2020
1157:2016
1126:2016
1104:2007
1033:2016
970:2007
948:2016
914:2020
903:ISSN
875:2021
849:2018
810:Ouki
735:and
679:lead
639:and
618:Inca
588:and
565:and
538:arid
509:area
343:and
341:salt
321:1181
174:Type
668:ore
641:tin
577:).
433:of
386:in
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