Ciénaga de Zapatosa (Zapatosa Marsh) is a large

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...

in a depression located between the Colombian departments of Cesar and Magdalena covering an area of approximately 40,000 ha and containing one million cubic meters of water. The fresh water lake in the middle of the marsh varies with the seasons from 400 to 800 square miles (103,600 to 207,200 ha) in extent and from 20 to 25 feet (6 to 8 meters) deep. The marshes are covered by the municipalities of

Chimichagua Chimichagua () is a city and municipality in the central region of the Department of Cesar, Colombia. Approximately one third of the municipality of Chimichagua is water. The municipality seat lies by the Cienaga de Zapatosa marshes. Etymology ...

, Curumaní,

Tamalameque Tamalameque is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Cesar. It was originally the site of a Chimila settlement, ''Thamara''. Tamalameque is located on the right bank of the Magdalena River and borders Chimichagua and Pailitas ...

and

El Banco El Banco (literally meaning River bank in Spanish) is a Colombian Municipality and town located in the southernmost part of the Magdalena Department by the Magdalena River. Climate El Banco has a tropical monsoon climate An area of tropical m ...

, communities which based their economy in part from the

artisan fishing Artisanal fishing (or traditional/subsistence fishing) consists of various small-scale, low-technology, low-capital, fishing practices undertaken by individual fishing households (as opposed to commercial fishing). Many of these households are ...

practice.

References

Marshes of Colombia Wetlands of Colombia Geography of Cesar Department Geography of Magdalena Department {{Colombia-geo-stub