Laguna de Aculeo

Laguna de Aculeo
Laguna de Aculeo (January 2009)
Laguna de Aculeo Location in Chile
Location	Maipo Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region
Coordinates	33°50′47″S 70°54′55″W / 33.84639°S 70.91528°W / -33.84639; -70.91528Coordinates: 33°50′47″S 70°54′55″W / 33.84639°S 70.91528°W / -33.84639; -70.91528
Type	Lagoon
Basin countries	Chile
Surface area	12 km2 (4.6 sq mi) (2011) 0 km2 (0 sq mi) (2018)
Average depth	6 m (20 ft) (2011) 0 m (0 ft) (2018)
Settlements	Paine

Laguna de Aculeo is as of 2018 a dried-out lake located in the city of Paine, Maipo Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile. It features muddy banks, because the surroundings are not steep.

History[]

The average annual rainfall in the region dropped from 350 mm/y in the 1980s to less than half that in the 2010s. In 2011 the lagoon was 12 km² in size and 6 metres in depth.^[1] It disappeared entirely on May 9, 2018. Probable causes include a large influx of tourists, as well as using its waters for avocado cultivation,^[1] as well as increased water use by the nearby city of Paine and a longterm drought period since 2010, which is partially due to global warming.^[2]

The lagoon obtained its name from the Mapuche term Acum-Leu, meaning "where the river ends".^[3][4]

Reclamation[]

Reclamation projects are promoted to identify solutions for long-term recovery, especially voluntary watershed management agreements that will allow the rational and sustainable use of this resource.^{[citation needed]}

External links[]

• La laguna Aculeo, antes atractivo de Chile, seca por completo (video, Spanish)
• Lucas Cifuentes, Nicole Kramm: Chile se va secando: Aculeo está muerto. eldesconcierto.cl, 18. Februar 2019 (Spanish)
• Philipp Reeves: In Chile, Many Regard Climate Change As The Greatest External Threat. NPR, 16. Juli 2017 (audio, 7:42 mins)

References[]

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