Phoksundo Lake
| Phoksundo Lake | |
|---|---|
| फोक्सुण्डो, pronounced [pʰoksuɳɖo] | |
| File:Panorama phoksumdo lake from camp.jpg | |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 411: Malformed coordinates value. | |
| File:Bathymetric Map of Phoksundo Lake.jpg Bathymetric Map of Phoksundo Lake published by Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in 2019 | |
| Location | Dolpa District, Nepal |
| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Primary outflows | Suligad River |
| Basin countries | Nepal |
| Max. length | 5.64 km (3.50 mi) |
| Max. width | 549.89–975.24 m (1,804.1–3,199.6 ft) |
| Surface area | 485 ha (4.85 km2) |
| Max. depth | 136.20 m (446.9 ft) |
| Water volume | 398.73×106 m3 (14.081×109 cu ft) |
| Shore length1 | 18,295.26 m (60,023.8 ft) |
| Surface elevation | 3,589 m (11,775 ft) |
| Designated | 23 September 2007 |
| Reference no. | 1694[1] |
| Location | |
| Lua error in Module:Infobox_mapframe at line 197: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Phoksundo Lake is an alpine fresh water oligotrophic lake in Nepal's Shey Phoksundo National Park at an elevation of 3,611.5 m (11,849 ft) in the Dolpa District. Phoksundo Lake is 494 ha (1.91 sq mi) in size with a water volume of 409,000,000 m3 (1.44×1010 cu ft) and a discharge of 3.715 m3/s (131.2 cu ft/s).[2] In 2004, a survey by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology measured the maximum depth of the lake at 145 m (476 ft).[3] In 2019, another detailed survey was carried out by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, which measured the maximum depth of the lake at 136.20 m (446.9 ft).[4]
In September 2007, Phoksundo Lake has been designated a Ramsar site.[5]
On the lake' southern end, the village of Ringmo sits on the 30,000- to 40,000-year-old landslide dam that formed the lake.[6] Past the dam, the waters of the lake plunge over a 167 m (548 ft) tall waterfall.
Religious significance
[edit | edit source]There are more than 20 Tibetan stupas in the northern belt, and one gompa in the eastern side of the lake, where annual prayers and worship are carried out. Traditional Tibetan culture prevails in upper Dolpo; Buddhism and Masto are prevalent in lower Dolpo, including Ringmo village.[2]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Nepalnews.com (2004). Rara is Nepal’s deepest lake: Survey
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Bhandari, B. B. (2009). Wise use of Wetlands in Nepal. Banko Janakari, Special Issue February 2009: 10–17.
- ^ Weidinger, J. T. (2005). Predesign, failure and displacement mechanisms of large rockslides in the Langthang-, Annapurna- and Kanjiroba Himalayas of Nepal. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 7, 04125, 2005