Lake Güija
Lake Güija is a lake in Central America. The lake is situated on the border between Guatemala and El Salvador and has an area of 45 km2, of which approximately 32 km2 lies in El Salvador.[2][3]
| Lake Güija | |
|---|---|
 Lake Güija with Volcán de San Diego in the upper right | |
  Lake Güija | |
| Location | Jutiapa, Metapan, Santa Ana |
| Coordinates | 14°16′N 89°31′W |
| Type | Volcanogenic lake |
| Native name | Lago de Güija (Spanish) |
| Primary inflows | Ostúa River |
| Basin countries | Guatemala, El Salvador |
| Surface area | 45 km2 (17 sq mi) |
| Surface elevation | 430 m (1,410 ft) |
| Official name | Complejo Güija |
| Designated | 16 December 2010 |
| Reference no. | 1924[1] |
The lake is of volcanic origin and was formed by a large basaltic lava flow from Volcán de San Diego in the San Diego volcanic field which blocked the Güija depression's original drainage.[4] Lake Güija is fed by the Ostúa, Angue and Cusmapa rivers and is drained on its southeastern side by the río Desagüe, a tributary of the río Lempa. The lake is surrounded by the volcanic cones of the Mita, San Diego and Cerro Quemado. The Salvadoran side of the lake has several small isles: Teotipa, Cerro de Tule and Iguatepec, where a substantial number of pre-Columbian céramics have been discovered since excavations started in 1924. Bosque San Diego La Barra lies on the eastern side of the lake.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on September 21, 1992, in the Mixed (Cultural + Natural) category.[5]
References
- "Complejo Güija". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- "Lago de Güija". CTPT (in Spanish). SICA. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
- Herrera, Néstor (2005). "Evaluación Ambiental del complejo Lago de Güija - Informe final" (PDF). MARN. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
- "San Diego Volcano". GVP. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
- Lake Guija - UNESCO World Heritage Centre