| Argentino Lake / Lago Argentino | |
|---|---|
| Primary outflows | Santa Cruz River |
| Catchment area | 17,000 km² |
| Basin countries | Argentina |
| Surface area | 1,466 km² |
| Average depth | 150 m |
| Max. depth | 500 m |
| Water volume | 219.9 km³ |
| Surface elevation | 187 m |
| Settlements | El Calafate |
Lago Argentino is a lake in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, Argentina, at . It is the biggest freshwater lake in Argentina, with a surface area of 1,466 km2 (566 sq mi) (maximum width: 20 mi (32 km)). It has an average depth of 150 m (492 ft), and a maximum depth of 500 m (1,640 ft).
The lake lies within the Los Glaciares National Park, in a landscape with numerous glaciers and is fed by the glacial meltwater of several rivers, the water from Lake Viedma brought by the La Leona River, and many mountain streams. Its drainage basin amounts to more than 17,000 km2 (6,564 sq mi). Waters from Lake Argentino flow into the Atlantic Ocean through the Santa Cruz River.
The glaciers, the nearby town of El Calafate and the lake itself are important touristic destinations. The lake in particular is appreciated for fishing. Perch, common galaxias, "puyen grande", lake trout and rainbow trout — in both migratory and sedentary forms — are all found.
Lago Argentino is also the name of the airport (IATA: ING, ICAO: SAWA) that serves the area, located at . The town of El Calafate is sometimes called Lago Argentino. This Airport is currently closed and has been replaced by Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (IATA: FTE, ICAO: SAWC) which serves the town of Calafate and Lago Argentino, with many daily national and international flights.