How the Rainy Season will effect Lake Chapala 2009
How will the 2009 Rainy Season effect Lake Chapala
Lake Chapala is Mexico’s largest freshwater lake and is located 45 km southeast of Guadalajara. It is 1,524 meters above sea level. It is 80 km eat to west and 18 km from north to south.
The largest island in Laka Chapala is Isla de los Alacranes (Scorpion Island) and it is a great tourist attraction.
Lake Chapala is fed by Rios Zula, Huaracha and Duero and is drained by Rio Santiago.
Many people believe that Lake Chapala holds the lost souls of natives from the past and many Blood Pots (Lagrimas de Sangre) have been found in the lakewhich are alleged to hold the tears of such lost souls.
In 2007 and 2008 Lake Chapala measured higher that it has been in decades which is very good news for a number of reasons.
First Lake Chapala supports 117 species of birds. The most popular being the White Pelican.
Also high levels of Lake Chapala are very good for the real estate market. Most people buying in Ajijic, Lake Chapala want a lake view. It is beautiful to watch the changes on the lake during our wonderful and dramatic rainy season which is almost upon us. Many homes have views of the lake from one end to the other.
One can watch the lirios (water hyancinths) move with the wind from one end of the lake to the other. At one point in the past manatees were put in Lake Chapala to eat the lirios but, unfortunately, the Mexicans ate the manatees.
From the Malecon in Jocotepec one can hire a dinner boat to go out on the lake This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy scenic Lake Chapala and a magnificent sunset in style.
There are many family restaurants on the carretera on the way to San Juan Cosala (on the way to the Racquet Club) where many people from Guadalajara to enjoy week-ends gazing over our beautiful lake.
There is a movement in Ajijic where people are committed to keeping our lake on the list of endangered living lakes. The Global Nature Fund recently selected Lake Chapala as the host site for the 2010 International Living Lakes Conference tentatively scheduled for March of next year.
As we have already have had several storms and the rainbirds are croaking themselves hoarse this promises to be a splendid rainy season which will raise the level of Lake Chapala up to highs not experienced in 12 years