Lake Arenal ( es, Lago Arenal) is a lake which is situated in the northern highlands of

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

. It is currently the largest lake in

at . Its depth varies between 30 and 60 meters (100–200 feet) seasonally. The town of Arenal was relocated to higher ground when the lake was expanded in 1979. The old towns of Arenal and Tronadora now lie abandoned at the bottom of the lake, with the new town of Arenal existing to the northeast on the lake.

Hydroelectricity

Lake Arenal was tripled in size with the construction of the Arenal dam in 1979, which exists at the eastern end of the lake. This

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

project exists at the western end of the lake and is strategically important to Costa Rica, initially generating 70% of the country's electricity, now closer to 17%, and was also a driving force behind Costa Rica's green energy policy.

Wildlife

Fish species in Lake Arenal include the

machaca Machaca is a traditionally dried meat, usually spiced beef or pork, that is rehydrated and then used in popular local cuisine in Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. It is also readily available in many groceries and supermarket ...

and the

rainbow bass ''Parachromis dovii'', the guapote, rainbow bass, or wolf cichlid, is a species of cichlid native to Central America where it occurs on the slopes of Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. It grows to a length of TL, and it is important to lo ...

. There are also many species of plants, 120 mammals (including

jaguar The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

and tapir), and 300 birds (including

quetzal Quetzals () are strikingly colored birds in the trogon family. They are found in forests, especially in humid highlands, with the five species from the genus ''Pharomachrus'' being exclusively Neotropical, while a single species, the eared quet ...

Recreation

From November through April the strong, dependable winds attract windsurfers and kite surfers to its western end. Many consider Lake Arenal one of the world's foremost windsurfing and kite surfing areas. Wakeboarding is gaining popularity in Costa Rica, with Lake Arenal being the center of this activity. Stand up paddling and kayaking are also popular activities for tourists visiting the lake's Eastern part near the earthen dam. There is much good fishing (primarily for rainbow bass) and now kayak fishing opportunities in the shallow and secluded coves. The area surrounding the lake has good hiking, biking, bird watching, and horseback riding opportunities.

Gallery

File:Lac Arenal Costa Rica 003.JPG File:Lac_Arenal_Costa_Rica_Barrage.JPG, hydro-electricity on Lake Arenal. File:Eoliennes à Tierras Morenas_lac Arenal_Costa Rica.JPG, Wind power plant of Tierras Morenas, around Lake Arenal. File:Lake Arenal and Volcano.JPG File:Lake_Arenal_Kitesurfing.JPG File:Lake_Arenal_Windsurfer.JPG File:Arenal Lake.jpg, Horse grazing on the shore of the Lake with the Arenal Volcano in the background. File:Arenal Lake 2.jpg, View of the lake from the village of El Fosforo, on the southeastern shore. Arenal Volcano panorama

Lake Arenal windsurf and kite surf beach at the Tico Wind peninsula

References

External links

Lake Arenal information

Lake Arenal information about rainforest, mountains and lake

Lake Arenal information about transportation
{{Authority control Geography of Alajuela Province Geography of Guanacaste Province Arenal Ramsar sites in Costa Rica Arenal Tourist attractions in Alajuela Province Tourist attractions in Guanacaste Province