125
to be the highest lake in the world. It has a surface
area of 1,940 km
2 . In China, this lake is called
Namco Lake (or Namucuo).
Rush Lake (Pakistan)
Rush Lake (Rush Phari), lying at 4,694 m MSL,
is said to be the highest lake in Pakistan.
Laguna Lobato (Chile)
Laguna Lobato, lying at 4,640 m MSL, is high
on the Chilean Altiplano. This Lake Lobato
illustrates the scientifi c value of high lakes. Dr.
Mark Abbott of the University of Pittsburgh
and Dr. Alexander Wolfe of the University of
Alberta extracted sediment cores from the bottom
of Lobato Lake in 2003 and used their contents
to date the activity of a nearby silver mine at
Cerro Rico de Potosi. Unlike the surrounding
mountain terrain, high lakes collect material
instead of losing it to erosion. Consequently,
their bottom sediments contain a valuable
record of past history for those who can manage
to extract and read it.
Tsho Rolpa Lake (Nepal)
The Tsho Rolpa Lake, lying at 4,600 m MSL, is
situated in the villages in the Rolwaling Valley in
Northeast Nepal, about 40 km away from Mount
Everest. The lake has a length, breadth, depth and
volume of 2.6 km, 0.5 km and 132 m and 70 million m
3
, respectively. Tsho Rolpa Lake was, possibly, formed by a glacial moraine that partially
blocked the fl ow of meltwater from the glacier.
Due to global warming, there is more meltwater
these days than there used to be. Glacial moraines,
constructed naturally from rubble and glacial till,
do not make very strong dams. The danger is that
the moraine dam may burst in a Glacial Lake
Outburst Flood (GLOF) and inundate the villages
downstream in the valley. From the Apollo photo,
it could be obvious that there are many lakes in
the Himalayas higher than 15,000 ft.
Simba Tarn (Kenya)
Simba Tarn, lying at 4,560 m MSL, is a small
glacial lake and could rank amongst the highest
lakes in Africa. Further, Mawenzi Tarn, on the
slopes of Kilimanjaro, is another HA lake, and
Mawenzi Tarn lies at 4,330 m MSL and Lake
Michaelson on Mt. Kenya at 4,000 m.
Lake Chungara (Chile)
Lago Chungara, lying at 4,500 m MSL, is situated
in Lauca National Park near Arica, Chile. Arica
has the lowest annual average rainfall in the
world (0.03 in.).
Yamdrok Tso (Tibet)
Yamdrok Tso Lake lies at 4,488 m MSL in Tibet.
Karambar Lake (Pakistan)
Karambar Lake (High Point Lake), lying at
4,272 m MSL, between 36° 53′ 03.26″ and 73°
42′ 44.03″, has an approx. length, breadth and
average depth of 3.9 km, 2 km and 52 m, respectively. Karambar is in the Ishkoman Valley –
nearest known major town Gupis – Gilgit.
Further, Sheosar Lake (Blind Lake), lying at
4,142 m MSL, between 34° 59′ 35″ E and 75° 14′
43.42″ N is an HA lake having approx. length
and breadth of 2.3 km and 1.8 km, respectively.
Sheosar is in the Deosai Plains – nearest known
major town SKARDU.
Sirkhan Jui (Red Lake), lying at 3,786 m
MSL, between 6° 52′ 59.19″ and E 73° 25′
49.68″, has an approx. length, breadth and average depth of 2 km, 0.8 km and 28 m, respectively.
Sirkhan Jui is at the top of the Ishkoman Valley
on the border with Afghanistan at the Wakhan
Corridor (overlooking the famous Oxus River).
Lake of the Sun (Mexico)
Lake of the Sun , lying at 4,200 m MSL, is said to be
the highest lake in North America. Lake of the Sun
and the smaller Lake of the Moon are located in the
crater of Mexico’s Nevado de Toluca volcano.
Emerald Lakes Irian Jaya
‘Emerald Lakes’, lying at 4,200 m, MSL, are at
the Base Camp for Puncak Jaya and Carstensz
Pyramid, on the Indonesian half of the island of
New Guinea north of Australia. One of these is
said to be the highest lakes in New Guinea and
one of the highest lakes in Oceania. They are said
to have an average length and breadth of 0.4 km
and 0.2 km, respectively.
6.9 High Altitude (HA) Lentic Bodies
to be the highest lake in the world. It has a surface
area of 1,940 km
2 . In China, this lake is called
Namco Lake (or Namucuo).
Rush Lake (Pakistan)
Rush Lake (Rush Phari), lying at 4,694 m MSL,
is said to be the highest lake in Pakistan.
Laguna Lobato (Chile)
Laguna Lobato, lying at 4,640 m MSL, is high
on the Chilean Altiplano. This Lake Lobato
illustrates the scientifi c value of high lakes. Dr.
Mark Abbott of the University of Pittsburgh
and Dr. Alexander Wolfe of the University of
Alberta extracted sediment cores from the bottom
of Lobato Lake in 2003 and used their contents
to date the activity of a nearby silver mine at
Cerro Rico de Potosi. Unlike the surrounding
mountain terrain, high lakes collect material
instead of losing it to erosion. Consequently,
their bottom sediments contain a valuable
record of past history for those who can manage
to extract and read it.
Tsho Rolpa Lake (Nepal)
The Tsho Rolpa Lake, lying at 4,600 m MSL, is
situated in the villages in the Rolwaling Valley in
Northeast Nepal, about 40 km away from Mount
Everest. The lake has a length, breadth, depth and
volume of 2.6 km, 0.5 km and 132 m and 70 million m
3
, respectively. Tsho Rolpa Lake was, possibly, formed by a glacial moraine that partially
blocked the fl ow of meltwater from the glacier.
Due to global warming, there is more meltwater
these days than there used to be. Glacial moraines,
constructed naturally from rubble and glacial till,
do not make very strong dams. The danger is that
the moraine dam may burst in a Glacial Lake
Outburst Flood (GLOF) and inundate the villages
downstream in the valley. From the Apollo photo,
it could be obvious that there are many lakes in
the Himalayas higher than 15,000 ft.
Simba Tarn (Kenya)
Simba Tarn, lying at 4,560 m MSL, is a small
glacial lake and could rank amongst the highest
lakes in Africa. Further, Mawenzi Tarn, on the
slopes of Kilimanjaro, is another HA lake, and
Mawenzi Tarn lies at 4,330 m MSL and Lake
Michaelson on Mt. Kenya at 4,000 m.
Lake Chungara (Chile)
Lago Chungara, lying at 4,500 m MSL, is situated
in Lauca National Park near Arica, Chile. Arica
has the lowest annual average rainfall in the
world (0.03 in.).
Yamdrok Tso (Tibet)
Yamdrok Tso Lake lies at 4,488 m MSL in Tibet.
Karambar Lake (Pakistan)
Karambar Lake (High Point Lake), lying at
4,272 m MSL, between 36° 53′ 03.26″ and 73°
42′ 44.03″, has an approx. length, breadth and
average depth of 3.9 km, 2 km and 52 m, respectively. Karambar is in the Ishkoman Valley –
nearest known major town Gupis – Gilgit.
Further, Sheosar Lake (Blind Lake), lying at
4,142 m MSL, between 34° 59′ 35″ E and 75° 14′
43.42″ N is an HA lake having approx. length
and breadth of 2.3 km and 1.8 km, respectively.
Sheosar is in the Deosai Plains – nearest known
major town SKARDU.
Sirkhan Jui (Red Lake), lying at 3,786 m
MSL, between 6° 52′ 59.19″ and E 73° 25′
49.68″, has an approx. length, breadth and average depth of 2 km, 0.8 km and 28 m, respectively.
Sirkhan Jui is at the top of the Ishkoman Valley
on the border with Afghanistan at the Wakhan
Corridor (overlooking the famous Oxus River).
Lake of the Sun (Mexico)
Lake of the Sun , lying at 4,200 m MSL, is said to be
the highest lake in North America. Lake of the Sun
and the smaller Lake of the Moon are located in the
crater of Mexico’s Nevado de Toluca volcano.
Emerald Lakes Irian Jaya
‘Emerald Lakes’, lying at 4,200 m, MSL, are at
the Base Camp for Puncak Jaya and Carstensz
Pyramid, on the Indonesian half of the island of
New Guinea north of Australia. One of these is
said to be the highest lakes in New Guinea and
one of the highest lakes in Oceania. They are said
to have an average length and breadth of 0.4 km
and 0.2 km, respectively.
6.9 High Altitude (HA) Lentic Bodies