GNF - Data Mar Chiquita
 

Detailed Data Mar Chiquita

 

Partner Living Lakes

Centro de Zoologíca Aplicada Argentina

University Córdoba

Partner Lake since

2000

Origin

tectonic

Age

2 million years

State of protection

national protection status

Ramsar site (since 2002)

Size

1,960 sq. km [km²] to 5,770 sq. km [km²]

largest lake in Argentina, fifth largest drainless lake world-wide

Length, width

30 - 100 km, 76 - 140 km

Water volume

150 million of cubic m [m³] to 2,390 billion of cubic m [m³]

Maximum depth

11 m

Sea level

62 - 71 m

Catchment area

37,570 sq. km [km²]

In-flows

3

Largest in-flow

Dulce River

Out-flows

none

Salt content

29 - 275 g/l, corresponding to the water level

Precipitation per year

approx. 700 mm

Mean air temperature

18 - 19 °C

Location

Argentina

Vegetation

forest, savannah, pastures, fields, salt-marsh

Nesting birds

50,000 pairs of Chileflamingo

(in the 1970s, approx. 10 % of world population)

through 300,000 pairs of brown-hooded gull (Larus maculipennis)

Resting birds

500,000 Wilson´s phalarope (1970s)

20,000 American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica)

Biggest problems

withdrawal of water at the inflows, drying-out of the lagoon, decrease of the rain amounts and increasing natural evaporation, entry of pollution from settlement and industry