Lake Akan
| Lake Akan | |
|---|---|
 The view from Mount Oakan (July 2008) | |
  Lake Akan | |
| Location | Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan |
| Coordinates | 43°27′6″N 144°5′55″E / 43.45167°N 144.09861°ECoordinates: 43°27′6″N 144°5′55″E / 43.45167°N 144.09861°E |
| Lake type | Dimictic |
| Native name | 阿寒湖 |
| Primary outflows | Akan River |
| Catchment area | 148 km2 (57 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Japan |
| Surface area | 13 km2 (3,200 acres) |
| Average depth | 17.8 m (58 ft) |
| Max. depth | 44.8 m (147 ft) |
| Water volume | 0.23 km3 (0.055 cu mi) |
| Shore length1 | 25.9 km (16.1 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 420 m (1,380 ft) |
| Frozen | December to April |
| Islands | 4: Ōjima, Kojima, Yaitai Island, Chūrui Island |
| Settlements | Kushiro |
| Official name | Akan-ko |
| Designated | 8 November 2005 |
| Reference no. | 1540[1] |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Akan and Mount Oakan
Lake Akan (阿寒湖, Akan-ko) is a lake in Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan. It is located in Akan National Park and is a Ramsar Site.[2][3]
History[]
Volcanic activity formed the lake some 6,000 years ago, when a lava dam was formed. The lake used to have a clarity of 8–9 meters in the 1930s. Pollution from local hotspring resorts has decreased the transparency to 3–4 meters.[4]
Flora and fauna[]
The lake is famous for the marimo (Aegagropila linnaei), aggregations of algae that form into spherical shapes 2–30 cm in diameter. Other flora of the lake include the following:[4]
- Phragmites communis
- Nuphar sp.
- Potamogeton crispus
- Hydrilla verticillata
- Myriophyllum verticillatum
- Vallisneria gigantea
- Asterionella formosa
Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) are native to Lake Akan. Other fauna of the lake include the following:[4]
- Zooplankton:
- Bottom:
- Chironomus plumosus
- Tubificidae
- Fish:
- Cyprinus carpio
- Carassius
- Hypomesus olidus
See also[]
- List of Special Places of Scenic Beauty, Special Historic Sites and Special Natural Monuments
- Ramsar sites in Japan
References[]
- ^ "Akan-ko". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ "Data Summary: Akan-ko (Lake Akan)". World Lakes Database. International Lake Environment Committee. Archived from the original on 2012-04-20. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
- ^ "Ramsar Sites in Japan - Akan-ko" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "AKAN-KO (LAKE AKAN)". World Lakes Database. International Lake Environment Committee. Archived from the original on 2012-03-05. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
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Categories:
- Lakes of Hokkaido
- Ramsar sites in Japan
- Volcanic crater lakes
- Volcanoes of Hokkaido
- Calderas of Japan
- VEI-7 volcanoes
- Lava dammed lakes