Lake Titicaca

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Lake Titicaca

• Justin Burdine

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Location
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General Facts

• 3800 meters above sea level
• Surface area 8400 km2
• Volume 930 km3
• Max Depth 280 meters
• Water retention time gt 1000 years
• Over 3 million years old
• Monomictic

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Cultural Significance - Past

• Incan civilization
• Viracocha
• Origins
• Livelihood
• Los Uros
• Indigenous group
• Live on lake surface
• Rafts and boats

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Lake Inputs/Outputs

• Evaporation accounts for 90 of outputs
• Remaining 10 through Rio Desaguadero
• Inputs of rainfall and runoff occur during the
  rainy season (January March)

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Water balance
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Bahía de Puno
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Cruz et al. (2006)
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Eutrophication

• Wastewater from UNA ((Universidad Nacional del
  Altiplano), the city, and nearby towns
• Poorly constructed sewage plant that is not
  updated to growing population
• Overflows in rainy season
• Anoxic conditions in higher water depths
• Study looks at water degradation between 1970 and
  2005.

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Lemna
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Harm to bystanders

• Indigenous populations
• Livestock near lake
• Humans using lake for recreation
• Tourism (floating boom)
• Fascioliasis
• Transboundary planning
• Intervention to control

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Questions?