# Lake Junin

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Lake in Peru

Lake Junin Chinchaycocha Lake Junin Coordinates 11°01′S 76°07′W / 11.017°S 76.117°W / -11.017; -76.117 Primary outflows Upamayu-Mantaro River Basin countries Peru Surface area 529.88 km2 (204.59 mi2) Max. depth 12 m (39 ft)[1] Surface elevation 4,082.7 m (13,395 ft)[1]

**Lake Junin**[2] (IPA: [\[xuˈnin\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Spanish); [Spanish](/source/Spanish_language) *Lago Junín*, named after the nearby town of [Junin](/source/Jun%C3%ADn%2C_Peru))[3] or **Chinchaycocha** (possibly from [Quechua](/source/Quechua_language) *chincha, chinchay* north, northern, *chinchay* [ocelot](/source/Ocelot), *qucha* lake, lagoon,[4][5] "northern lake" or "ocelot lake") is the largest [lake](/source/Lake) entirely within [Peruvian](/source/Peru) territory. Even though [Lake Titicaca](/source/Lake_Titicaca) has a much larger area, its eastern half is located on [Bolivian](/source/Bolivia) territory. Lake Junin is an important [birdwatching](/source/Birdwatching) destination in the country.[6]

## Geography

Lake Junin in a satellite image.

Lake Junin is located in the [Andean](/source/Andean) highlands of central Peru. Most of the lake is in the [Junin Province](/source/Junin_Province) of the [Junin Region](/source/Junin_Region), but its northwestern tip belongs to the [Pasco Province](/source/Pasco_Province) of the [Pasco Region](/source/Pasco_Region). The surface elevation of the lake is located at 4,082.7 m (13,395 ft) above sea level.[1]

The lake is on the upper reaches of the [Mantaro River](/source/Mantaro_River) within the [Amazon basin](/source/Amazon_basin). There is a [hydroelectric power](/source/Hydroelectric_power) station which regulates the water level of the lake at the outflow of the lake, through the [Upamayo Dam](/source/Upamayo_Dam). In years of abundant rains, fluctuations in the water level are moderate, but in years of drought water level may drop 1.5–2 m (4.9–6.6 ft) leaving extensive areas exposed. The deepest part of the lake, which is located about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) off Huayre, is 12 m (39 ft) deep.[1]

The headwaters of streams flowing into Lake Junin have been named as the "most distant" [source of the Amazon River](/source/Source_of_the_Amazon_River), one of the three places proposed as the "true" source of the Amazon.[7]

## 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 [Junin](/source/Jun%C3%ADn%2C_Peru) and [Carhuamayo](/source/Carhuamayo_District) also pollutes the lake. These types of pollution are contributing to the natural [eutrophication](/source/Eutrophication) process of this wetland.

## Fauna and flora

Lake Junin is home to three [endemic](/source/Endemism) birds that all are seriously threatened: the [Junin rail](/source/Junin_rail) (*Laterallus (jamaicensis) tuerosi*), the [Junin grebe](/source/Junin_grebe) (*Podiceps taczanowskii*) and the Junin [white-tufted grebe](/source/White-tufted_grebe) (*Rollandia rolland morrisoni*).[8] Two endangered species of frogs in the genus *[Telmatobius](/source/Telmatobius)* are restricted to the vicinity of the lake, although only one of these, the entirely aquatic [Lake Junin frog](/source/Lake_Junin_frog) (*T. macrostomus*), is found in the lake itself, whereas the [Amable Maria frog](/source/Amable_Maria_frog) (*T. brachydactylus*) is found nearby.[9] Three *[Orestias](/source/Orestias_(fish_genus))* pupfish, *[O. empyraeus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orestias_empyraeus&action=edit&redlink=1)*, *[O. gymnota](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orestias_gymnota&action=edit&redlink=1)* and *[O. polonorum](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orestias_polonorum&action=edit&redlink=1)*, and the catfish *[Trichomycterus](/source/Trichomycterus) oroyae* are endemic to the lake [basin](/source/Drainage_basin) and its vicinity (including associated streams, rivers and smaller lakes).[1][10]

Lake Junin is surrounded by [emergent vegetation](/source/Emergent_plant), which in some places can reach 6 km (3.7 mi) wide and become so dense that it is impenetrable. The fish fauna is abundant but consists of few species, including [introduced species](/source/Introduced_species). The introduced [trout](/source/Trout) have been implicated in the decline of the endemic frogs.[9]

## See also

- [Andes portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Andes)

- [Antaqucha](/source/Antaqucha_(Jun%C3%ADn))

- [Allqaqucha](/source/Allqaqucha_(Jun%C3%ADn))

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pwatch_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pwatch_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-pwatch_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-pwatch_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-pwatch_1-4) Shoobridge, D. (February 2006). Protected Area Profile Perú - Junín National Reserve, ParksWatch Perú.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** *Peru 1:100 000, Ondores (23-k)*. IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional - Perú).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Gobierno Regional de Junín, Plan de Desarrollo Regional Concertado Junín 2004-2007

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** 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.*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** 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.*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Lago de Junin"](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sitefactsheet.php?id=14788). *Birdlife Data Zone*. Birdlife International. Retrieved 25 January 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Contos, James; Tripcevich, Nicholas (2014). ["Correct placement of the most distant source of the Amazon River in"](https://escholarship.org/content/qt6js988dk/qt6js988dk.pdf?t%3Dnmjqr2) (PDF). *Area*. **46** (1): 27–39. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/area.12069](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Farea.12069). Retrieved 2025-08-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Dinesen2019_8-0)** Dinesen, L.; Chamorro, A.; Fjeldså, J.; Aucca, C- (2019). ["Long-term declines in waterbirds abundance at Lake Junín, Andean Peru"](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0959270918000230). *Bird Conservation International*. **29**: 83–99. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S0959270918000230](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0959270918000230).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-amphibian_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-amphibian_9-1) Stuart, Hoffmann, Chanson, Cox, Berridge, Ramani and Young, editors (2008). *Threatened Amphibians of the World.* [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-84-96553-41-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-84-96553-41-5)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Chocano2005_10-0)** Chocano Arévalo, L. (2005). ["Las zonas altoandinas peruanas y su ictiofauna endémica"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267821624). *Revista Digital Universitaria*. **6** (8): 1–13.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Lake Junin](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Lake_Jun%C3%ADn).

## External links

- [Factsheet of the natural reserve](http://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofile.php?l=eng&country=per&park=jnar&page=phy) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130619030837/http://www.parkswatch.org/parkprofile.php?l=eng&country=per&park=jnar&page=phy) 2013-06-19 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

Authority control databases International VIAF GND FAST National United States France BnF data Israel

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