Lake Otún (''Laguna del Otún'') is a small
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
in the
Nevados National Park, in the
Risaralda department of
Colombia. It located at an altitude of 3,900 m and has an area of 1.5 square kilometres. The lake is of
glacial
A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...
origin and is fed by
meltwaters
Meltwater is water released by the melting of snow or ice, including glacial ice, tabular icebergs and ice shelves over oceans. Meltwater is often found in the ablation zone of glaciers, where the rate of snow cover is reducing. Meltwater can b ...
of the
Nevado Santa Isabel
Nevado (1813? – 1821) was a Mucuchies dog that was given to Simón Bolívar by the local people of Mucuchíes, Mérida, in the Venezuelan Andes. It was given as a kind of present shortly after the Battle of Niquitao during his triumphal A ...
. Lake Otún is the source of the
Otún River, which supplies
drinking water
Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, a ...
to the cities of
Pereira and
Dosquebradas.
Lake Otún is an important breeding ground for several threatened or
endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...
bird species, including the
Colombian torrent duck (''Merganetta armata columbiana''), the
Colombian ruddy duck (''Oxyura jamaicensis andina''), the
Andean teal
The Andean teal (''Anas andium'') is a South American species of duck. Like other teals, it belongs to the diverse genus '' Anas''; more precisely it is one of the "true" teals of subgenus ''Nettion''. It is restricted to the Andean highlands o ...
(''Anas andium'') and the
Andean snipe (''Gallinago jamesoni'').
[Section 34]
Laguna del Otún – Descripción general y biodiversidad
Lake Otún contains a large population of
rainbow trout, introduced for
recreational fishing
Recreational fishing, also called sport fishing or game fishing, is fishing for leisure, exercise or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is professional fishing for profit; or subsistence fishing, which is fishing fo ...
and a major attraction for visitors to the lake.
References
External links
*
Photos of Lake Otún
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lake Otun
Otun
Geography of Risaralda Department
Pereira, Colombia
Ramsar sites in Colombia