Phoksundo Lake
| Phoksundo Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Dolpa District, Nepal |
| Coordinates | 29°12′30″N 82°57′30″E / 29.20833°N 82.95833°ECoordinates: 29°12′30″N 82°57′30″E / 29.20833°N 82.95833°E |
| Basin countries | Nepal |
| Max. length | 5.15 km (3.20 mi) |
| Max. width | 800 m (2,600 ft) |
| Surface area | 494 ha (1.91 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 145 m (476 ft) |
| Water volume | 409×106 m3 (14.4×109 cu ft) |
| Surface elevation | 3,612 m (11,850 ft) |
| Official name | Sundarbans Reserved Forest |
| Designated | 21 May 1992[1] |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phoksundo Lake. |
Phoksundo Lake, (Nepali: फोक्सुण्डो ताल, NLK Phoksuṇḍo tāl), is an alpine fresh water oligotrophic lake in Nepal's Shey Phoksundo National Park, located at an elevation of 3,611.5 m (11,849 ft) above sea level in the Dolpa District. Phoksundo Lake is 494 ha (1.91 sq mi) in size with a water volume of 409,000,000 m3 (1.44×1010 cu ft) and a discharge of 3.715 m3/s (131.2 cu ft/s).[2] In 2004, a survey by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology measured the maximum depth of the lake at 145 m (476 ft).[3]
In September 2007, Phoksundo Lake has been designated a Ramsar site.[4]
On the lake' southern end, the village of Ringmo sits on the 30,000- to 40,000-year-old landslide dam that formed the lake.[5] Past the dam, the waters of the lake plunge over a 167 m (548 ft) tall waterfall.
Religious significance
There are more than 20 stupas in the southern belt, and one gompa in the eastern side of the lake, where annual prayers and worship are carried out. Traditional Tibetan culture prevails in upper Dolpo; Buddhism and Bon are prevalent in lower Dolpo, including Ringmo village.[2]
Gallery
Phoksundo lake and way to upper Dolpa- Panorama phoksundo lake from camp
Phucksundo lake and camp
Yaks enjoying bath in and around cold lake
Shey-phoksumdo National Park
References
- ↑ "Ramsar List". Ramsar.org. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- 1 2 Bhuju, U. R., Shakya, P. R., Basnet, T. B., Shrestha, S. (2007). Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Kathmandu, Nepal. ISBN 978-92-9115-033-5
- ↑ Nepalnews.com (2004). Rara is Nepal’s deepest lake: Survey
- ↑ Bhandari, B. B. (2009). Wise use of Wetlands in Nepal. Banko Janakari, Special Issue February 2009: 10–17.
- ↑ Weidinger, J. T. (2005). Predesign, failure and displacement mechanisms of large rockslides in the Langthang-, Annapurna- and Kanjiroba Himalayas of Nepal. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 7, 04125, 2005