Lake Junin

{{Short description|Lake in Peru}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Lake Junin |other_name = '''''Chinchaycocha''''' | image = Lago_de_Junin-Juni_Peru.jpg | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = | coords = {{coord|11|01|S|76|07|W|type:waterbody_region:PE|display=inline,title}} | type = |pushpin_map=Peru | inflow = | outflow = Upamayu-[[Mantaro River]] | catchment = | basin_countries = Peru | length = | width = | area = {{convert|529.88|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} | depth = | max-depth = {{convert|12|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=pwatch/> | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = {{convert|4082.7|m|ft|abbr=on}}<ref name=pwatch/> | islands = | cities = }}

'''Lake Junin'''<ref>{{Cite book|title = Peru 1:100 000, Ondores (23-k)|publisher = IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional - Perú)}}</ref> ({{IPA|es|xuˈnin|IPA}}; [[Spanish language|Spanish]] ''Lago Junín'', named after the nearby town of [[Junín, Peru|Junin]])<ref>Gobierno Regional de Junín, Plan de Desarrollo Regional Concertado Junín 2004-2007</ref> or '''Chinchaycocha''' (possibly from [[Quechua language|Quechua]] ''chincha, chinchay'' north, northern, ''chinchay'' [[ocelot]], ''qucha'' lake, lagoon,<ref>Teofilo Laime Ajacopa, Diccionario Bilingüe Iskay simipi yuyayk'ancha, La Paz, 2007 (Quechua-Spanish dictionary): '''''chincha'''''. ''s. Norte. Punto cardinal.'' '''''qucha''''', ''qhucha, quchacha.'' - ''s. Laguna. Lago pequeño.'' '''''qucha''''', ''qhucha.'' - ''s. Lago. Gran masa de agua en una depresión.''</ref><ref>Diccionario Quechua - Español - Quechua, Academía Mayor de la Lengua Quechua, Gobierno Regional Cusco, Cusco 2005 (5-vowel-system): '''''Chinchayqocha''''' - ''s. Geog. (Topón. chincha, norte; qocha, lago: lago del norte.) Lago de considerables dimensiones en la meseta de Bombón en el departamento de Junín, Perú.'' '''''chinchay''''' - ''s. Zool. (Felis pardalis aequatorialis). Tigrillo. Orden carnívora, familia felidae. || v. Dirigir u orientar algo hacia el norte.''</ref> "northern lake" or "ocelot lake") is the largest [[lake]] entirely within [[Peru]]vian territory. Even though [[Lake Titicaca]] has a much larger area, its eastern half is located on [[Bolivia]]n territory. Lake Junin is an important [[birdwatching]] destination in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=14788|title = Lago de Junin|access-date = 25 January 2016|website = Birdlife Data Zone|publisher = Birdlife International}}</ref>

==Geography== [[File:Lago Junín.jpg|left|thumb|Lake Junin in a satellite image.]] Lake Junin is located in the [[Andean]] highlands of central Peru. Most of the lake is in the [[Junin Province]] of the [[Junin Region]], but its northwestern tip belongs to the [[Pasco Province]] of the [[Pasco Region]]. The surface elevation of the lake is located at {{convert|4082.7|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.<ref name=pwatch>Shoobridge, D. (February 2006). Protected Area Profile Perú - Junín National Reserve, ParksWatch Perú.</ref>

The lake is on the upper reaches of the [[Mantaro River]] within the [[Amazon basin]]. There is a [[hydroelectric power]] station which regulates the water level of the lake at the outflow of the lake, through the [[Upamayo Dam]]. In years of abundant rains, fluctuations in the water level are moderate, but in years of drought water level may drop {{convert|1.5|-|2|m|ft|abbr=on}} leaving extensive areas exposed. The deepest part of the lake, which is located about {{convert|10|km|mi}} off Huayre, is {{convert|12|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep.<ref name=pwatch/>

The headwaters of streams flowing into Lake Junin have been named as the "most distant" [[source of the Amazon River]], one of the three places proposed as the "true" source of the Amazon.<ref>{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1111/area.12069| volume = 46| issue = 1| pages = 27–39| last1 = Contos| first1 = James| last2 = Tripcevich| first2 = Nicholas| title = Correct placement of the most distant source of the Amazon River in| journal = Area| access-date = 2025-08-29| date = 2014| url = https://escholarship.org/content/qt6js988dk/qt6js988dk.pdf?t%3Dnmjqr2}}</ref>

==Pollution== Since 1933 there has been an inflow of mining residues into the lake, which has adversely affected the fish and bird fauna in parts of the lake. Sewage coming from the towns of [[Junín, Peru|Junin]] and [[Carhuamayo District|Carhuamayo]] also pollutes the lake. These types of pollution are contributing to the natural [[eutrophication]] process of this wetland.

==Fauna and flora== Lake Junin is home to three [[Endemism|endemic]] birds that all are seriously threatened: the [[Junin rail]] (''Laterallus (jamaicensis) tuerosi''), the [[Junin grebe]] (''Podiceps taczanowskii'') and the Junin [[white-tufted grebe]] (''Rollandia rolland morrisoni'').<ref name=Dinesen2019>{{cite journal| last=Dinesen | first=L. | last2=Chamorro | first2=A. | last3=Fjeldså | first3=J. | last4=Aucca | first4=C- | year=2019 |title=Long-term declines in waterbirds abundance at Lake Junín, Andean Peru | journal=Bird Conservation International | volume=29 | pages=83–99 | doi=10.1017/S0959270918000230 | doi-access=free }}</ref> Two endangered species of frogs in the genus ''[[Telmatobius]]'' are restricted to the vicinity of the lake, although only one of these, the entirely aquatic [[Lake Junin frog]] (''T. macrostomus''), is found in the lake itself, whereas the [[Amable Maria frog]] (''T. brachydactylus'') is found nearby.<ref name=amphibian>Stuart, Hoffmann, Chanson, Cox, Berridge, Ramani and Young, editors (2008). ''Threatened Amphibians of the World.'' {{ISBN|978-84-96553-41-5}}</ref> Three ''[[Orestias (fish genus)|Orestias]]'' pupfish, ''[[Orestias empyraeus|O. empyraeus]]'', ''[[Orestias gymnota|O. gymnota]]'' and ''[[Orestias polonorum|O. polonorum]]'', and the catfish ''[[Trichomycterus]] oroyae'' are endemic to the lake [[Drainage basin|basin]] and its vicinity (including associated streams, rivers and smaller lakes).<ref name=pwatch/><ref name=Chocano2005>{{cite journal | author=Chocano Arévalo, L. | year=2005 | title=Las zonas altoandinas peruanas y su ictiofauna endémica | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267821624 | journal=Revista Digital Universitaria | volume=6 | issue=8 | pages=1–13 }}</ref>

Lake Junin is surrounded by [[Emergent plant|emergent vegetation]], which in some places can reach {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and become so dense that it is impenetrable. The fish fauna is abundant but consists of few species, including [[introduced species]]. The introduced [[trout]] have been implicated in the decline of the endemic frogs.<ref name=amphibian/>

== See also == {{Portal|Andes}} * [[Antaqucha (Junín)|Antaqucha]] * [[Allqaqucha (Junín)|Allqaqucha]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofile.php?l=eng&country=per&park=jnar&page=phy Factsheet of the natural reserve] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619030837/http://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofile.php?l=eng&country=per&park=jnar&page=phy |date=2013-06-19 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Junin}} [[Category:Lakes of Peru]] [[Category:Amazon basin|Lake Junin]] [[Category:Lakes of the Department of Junín]] [[Category:Lakes of the Department of Pasco]]