Taal Lake – Philippines

Background Taal Lake

Taal Lake is located about 60 km southeast of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, on the main island Luzon. The fresh water lake is located within a complex volcanic caldera, one of the great volcano-tectonic depressions of the world. Its altitude is only 2.5 m and its surface measures 234.2 sq. km. 37 tributaries drain into the lake and its only outlet is Pansipit River which drains into Balayan Bay. Taal Lake is the third largest lake in the Philippines and is the second largest on the island of Luzon.  

There is a small volcanic island in the middle of the lake which has been the site of almost all the historic volcanic activity.

The Taal Volcano itself has a lake of its own inside its crater called "Crater Lake". One can even swim inside the Crater Lake but the lake''s water is a very diluted form of sulfuric acid with high concentration of boron, magnesium, aluminum and sodium in salt form. Its mean depth measures 20 m. In its dark water no life of fish is possible.

Taal Lake is situated in a highly populated and rapidly growing agricultural and industrial region. The Philippine Government has designated the Taal region as a favored site for setting up new industries and infrastructures. The whole region surrounding Lake Taal is at considerable volcanic risk.

Overfishing is one of the biggest problems as well as the pollution of the lake through waste water from the industry and households. Unsustainable development presents also a very real threat to the lake.

Taal Lake is home to a venomous black and white "sea snake" (Hydrophis semperi). This species is one of only a few snakes of its type that breeds in freshwater. Taal Lake is also habitat of world''s only freshwater sardine, Sardinella tawilis. The bleniid Omobranchus ferox is also endemic to Lake Taal. 

Partner Organisation Taal Lake

PUSOD, Inc.

Ricky Nunez

V-5, 2nd Floor, J.P. Laurel Highway, Big Ben Complex

Lipa City, Batangas, 4217

Phone / Fax: + 63 46 757 3192

E-mail: pusodinfo@pusod.org

Website: www.pusod.org