Laguna Blanca (Bolivia)

Laguna Blanca
View of Laguna Blanca
Location of Laguna Blanca (Bolivia) in Bolivia.
Location of Laguna Blanca (Bolivia) in Bolivia.
Laguna Blanca (Bolivia)
Location of Laguna Blanca (Bolivia) in Bolivia.
Location of Laguna Blanca (Bolivia) in Bolivia.
Laguna Blanca (Bolivia)
LocationSur Lípez Province, Potosí Department
Coordinates22°48′00″S 67°47′38″W / 22.800°S 67.794°W / -22.800; -67.794
Basin countriesBolivia
Surface area10.9 km2 (4.2 sq mi)
Surface elevation4,350 m (14,270 ft)
Map

Laguna Blanca is a salt lake in an endorheic basin, in the Sur Lípez Province of the Potosí Department, Bolivia. It is near the Licancabur volcano.

Geography

Laguna Blanca with Cerro Laguna Verde in the background

The lake is at an elevation of 4,350 metres (14,270 ft) on the Altiplano. Its surface area is 10.9 km2. The lake is 5.6 kilometres (3.5 mi) long and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) wide.

The characteristic white colour of the water, that gave the lake its name, is caused by the high amount of minerals suspended in it.

Only a narrow corridor separates Laguna Blanca from the smaller Laguna Verde. Both are within the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. In the past, Laguna Blanca was much larger; at least 45 meters higher than today and extending far east past its current shore. Having reached a peak water level 13,240 years before the present, Laguna Verde was then merged with Laguna Blanca.[1][2]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cabrol, Nathalie A.; Grin, Edmond A., eds. (2018). From habitability to life on Mars. Amsterdam: Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-12-809935-3. OCLC 1010543632.
  2. ^ Cabrol, Nathalie A.; Grin, Edmond A.; Chong, Guillermo; Minkley, Edwin; Hock, Andrew N.; Yu, Youngseob; Bebout, Leslie; Fleming, Erich; Häder, Donat P.; Demergasso, Cecilia; Gibson, John; Escudero, Lorena; Dorador, Cristina; Lim, Darlene; Woosley, Clayton (June 2009). "The High‐Lakes Project". Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 114 (G2). doi:10.1029/2008JG000818. ISSN 0148-0227.
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