{{Short description|Lake in Argentina}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Puelo Lake <br /> Lago Puelo | image = Puelo Lake.jpg | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Cushamen Department, Chubut Province, Argentina, in Patagonia | coords = {{coord|42|9|55|S|71|38|13|W|region:AR_source:frwiki_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}} | type = glacial | inflow = | outflow = Puelo River | catchment = {{convert|3040|sqkm|sqmi}} | basin_countries = Argentina | length = {{convert|19|km|mi}} | width = {{convert|2.5|km|mi}} | area = {{convert|44|sqkm|acre}} | depth = {{convert|111|m|ft}} | max-depth = {{convert|180|m|ft}} | volume = {{convert|4.9|km3|acre.ft}} | residence_time = one year | shore = | elevation = {{convert|192|m|ft}} | islands = | cities = Lago Puelo <!-- Map --> | pushpin_map = Argentina | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of the lake in Argentina. | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = | reference = <ref>"Lake: Puelo," https://web.archive.org/web/20110902230405/http://www.hidricosargentina.gov.ar/EIndice-Puelo.html, accessed 15 Mar. Elevation of Puelo Lake corrected to correspond to elevation given by Google Earth, NASA.</ref> }}
'''Lake Puelo''' ({{langx|es|'''Lago Puelo'''}}) is a lake located in the northern part of Chubut Province, in Argentine Patagonia. Of fluvial-glacial origin, its deepest point is 180 meters. The narrow L-shaped lake is surrounded by Lago Puelo National Park.
The lake is fed by the small rivers, ''Azul'' and ''Quemquemtreu''. The outflow from Puelo Lake is the Puelo River which flows to the Pacific Ocean through Chile. The river emerges from the lake at the Chilean border, flows through a narrow turbulent passage called Arroyo los Hitos about {{convert|900|m|ft}} long and into Lake Puelo Inferior (Lower Puelo Lake), entirely in Chile.
The lake is surrounded by typical Valdivian temperate rain forests, more typical of the maritime-influenced area of Chile rather than the eastern side of the Andes in Argentina.
The term ''Puelo'' seems to have its origin in the Mapuche expression ''puel-có'', (''puel'' = east, ''co'' = water) meaning something like "Water at the East", as it was located in the easterly part of the area occupied by the indigenous Mapuche people.
The town of Lago Puelo is located in the narrow valley of the Azul River about {{convert|5|km|mi}} north of the lake. Tourism is the principal industry of the town and area.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Puelo Lake}} *[http://www.lagopuelo.com/ Tourism at Lago Puelo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227005540/http://www.lagopuelo.com/ |date=2021-02-27 }} {{in lang|es}} *[http://www.interpatagonia.com/lagopuelo/index_i.html Information]
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Category:Lakes of Chubut Province Category:Tourist attractions in Chubut Province Category:Patagonia