Detailed Data
Lake Titicaca - Peru, Bolivia
Partner Living Lakes
CEDAS - Centro de Desarrollo Ambiental y Social
Partner Lake since
2003
Origin
tectonic
Age
inter-glacial period of the Pleistocene
Ramsar site (since 1998)
Reserva Nacional del Titicaca (since 1978)
Size
8,400 sq. km [km²]
Major Lake (Lago Chucuito): 7,400 sq. km
Minor Lake (Lago Huinaymarca): 1,000 sq. km
Length
170 m
Water volume
Maximum depth
284 m (Major Lake)
41 m (Minor Lake)
Average depth
107 m (Major Lake)
9 m (Minor Lake)
Sea level
3,812 m
Catchment area
150,000 sq. km [km²]
(TDPS - Titicaca-Desaguadero-Poopó-Coipasa basin)
In-flows
27,
beneath 6 major tributaries: Ramis, Ilave, Coata, Huancana, Suchez and Katari
Out-flows
1 (Desaguadero River)
Islands
Salinity
fresh water (0.78 - 1.2 g/l)
Precipitation per year
880 mm
Major Lake: 889 mm
Minor Lake: 829 mm
Mean air temperature
9.0 °C
Completely frozen over
Ice cover - days
none
Location
Bolivia, Peru
Vegetation of the surrounding area
83.7 % natural landscape
5.2 % agricultural land
11.1 % others
Aquatic plants
12 varieties, including:
Reed Plant / Cattail (Schoenplectus totora)
Whitestem Pondweed (Elodea potamogeton)
Duckweed (Lemma sp.)
Muskgrass (Chara sp.)
Birds
95 species of resident and migratory birds, including:
Zambullidor del Titicaca (Centropelma micropterum)
Puna Ibis (Plegadis ridgwayi)
Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax olivaceus)
Heron (Phleocryptes melanops)
resident families:
ducks (Anatidae)
rails (Rallidae)
migratory families:
Plovers (Charadriidae)
Sandpipers (Scolopacidae)
Flamingos (Phoenicopte - ridae)
threatened species:
Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus cilensis)
Puna Flamingo (Phoenicopterus janesi)
Andean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus andinus)
Mammals
Vizcacha (Lagidium peruanum)
Wild Guinea Pig (Cavia Ischudii)
Andean Wild Wolf (Pseudalopex culpaeus)
Amphibians
18 native species:
Titicaca Water Frog (Telmatobius culeus), endemic
Aquatic Frog (Telmatobius ssp.)
Common Frog (Bufo spinulosus)
Fish
30 native species, out of which 21 endemic
Killfish (Orestias spp.)
Suche (Trychomicterus rivulatum)
Rainbow Trout and Stream Trout (Oncorhynchus mikkis)
Peje-rrey (Basilichthys bonaerensis)
Inhabitants in the lake area
2 million
Biggest problem
untreatened waste water from households, industries, mining and hotels
Industrial exploitation
Agricultural exploitation
Tourism activities