Overview:

Lake Poopó is a large salt lake located in the high plateau region of Bolivia. It is the third largest lake in the country,with an area of 8,500 km2 (3,300 sq mi). It supports an array of wildlife and provides fresh water for farmers and ranchers, as well as for hydroelectric energy production. The lake has experienced significant environmental degradation due to over-use of its water and the impacts of climate change, including a dramatic reduction in its size, destruction of fish stocks, and increased salinity. It was declared officially dry in 2016, leading to the displacement of Indigenous and other community members who depended on the lake for their livelihoods. International support is needed to help conserve and restore the lake. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Bolivia
Prominent Features:

1. Lake Poopó is an ephemeral saline lake located in the Andes Mountains of Oruro Department in Bolivia. 2. It is the second largest lake in Bolivia and the lowest lake in the world. 3. The lake area is subject to extreme alternations in depth due to prolonged droughts and abundant rainfall. 4. It has been degraded and dried up completely, twice, due to changes in climate and irrigation projects in the region. 5. The lake has a unique variety of flora and fauna. Over seventy species of birds, including flamingos, and many endangered animals, such as vicuñas, foxes, and camelids inhabit its shores. Several archeological sites are also found on its shores. 6. The lake is a vital source of water for the Pampas de la Zona Sur (PZS), and for rural and urban communities in the area. 7. In recent years, the lake has suffered severely from pollution due to industrial and agricultural waste water and sewage, salinization due to input of highly saline water from mining operations, and degradation caused by overgrazing. 8. Lake Poopó has become part of international attention of Bolivia and the world, especially since the 2015 water crisis that caused its disappearance. This national monument of Bolivia portrays the history and culture of the country.

History:

Lake Poopó is a shallow, saline lake located in central Bolivia on the high plateau of the Andes. Prior to the 1970s, Poopó was considered one of the largest lakes in Bolivia, covering approximately 3,000 square kilometers, or 1,158 square miles, and serving as an important habitat for fish and other wildlife. The lake's economic importance began in the 1970s, when the Chilean oil company ENAP (Empresa Nacional del Petróleo) began extracting large amounts of gas and condensate from the San Alberto and San Antonio gas fields in the region surrounding Poopó. This extraction of natural resources resulted in water resources being diverted away from Poopó. By the early 1990s, an estimated 95% of the lake's catchment area had been subject to these diversions. By 1994, the lake had shrunk to less than 10% of its original size, and in December of that year, it completely dried up. Local communities experienced a drastic decline in economic activity due to the loss of fishing and transportation income that had depended on the lake, and the extinction of various species of wildlife, such as the elegant crested tinamou. The lake was replenished in 1995 after heavy rainfalls in the area, but the changing climate patterns in Bolivia have led to subsequent dry seasons accompanied by even more drastic depletion of Poopó's water resources. In November 2014, the lake completely dried up for the second time, and in February 2015, the Bolivian government declared it an "eco-disaster." Since then, various organizations, including the United Nations and the Bolivian government, have been working together to address the environmental issues posed by Lake Poopó's depletion. These efforts include rebuilding wetlands, restoring infrastructure, and implementing water diversions. You must visit one of these historical places in Bolivia on your Bolivia tour

Interesting facts:

1. Lake Poopó in Bolivia was once the second largest lake in South America. 2. Lake Poopó has been reduced to practically nothing due to agricultural, industrial and urban growth leading to the diversion of its tributaries, pollution and climate change. 3. Scientists believe that Lake Poopó may no longer exist in as little as two years if no action is taken to restore it. 4. The local economy has been devastated by the loss of the lake with 90% of the local fishing industry no longer exist. 5. The lake has been declared a protected area and its revival has been included in the government’s agenda. 6. Efforts to restore the lake are being made with the help of international organizations. 7. The lake is home to several species of birds, mammals, and fish which will be displaced or die due to its disappearance. 8. Some of these species are endemic (native and not found anywhere else) to Lake Poopó and Bolivia. 9. Experts are also concerned that the disappearance of the lake will lead to an increase in the spread of diseases in surrounding communities, due to an increase in standing water and extreme temperatures. Visit one of the famous monuments of Bolivia with your friends and family.