Mindanaotoday.com | Lake Lanao, a magnificent freshwater where biodiversity dwells
LAKE Lanao is top of the most captivating and picturesque lakes in the Philippines.
With a surface area of about 340 square kilometers, it is the second-largest lake in the country and the largest of all in the Mindanao region.
Lake Lanao is in the province of Lanao del Sur of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The water comes from five substantial streams, Ramain, Taraka, Gata, Masiu, and Bacayawan Rivers.
The lake is also one of the fifteen ancient lakes in the world due to tectonic-volcanic action.
It is a proclaimed watershed reserve and a protected area following National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992 (Republic Act No. 7586).
The lake serves as a reservoir for hydroelectric power generation, which generates 70% of the electricity the people of Mindanao use.
Several endangered and restricted-range species have been documented around Lake Lanao, as the lake is reported to support large numbers of waterfowl.
About twenty fish species of these are endemic to the lake, but many other fishes have been introduced.
It is also home to various mollusk species. Mammals include wild pigs, deer, and many endemic small mammals.
Some significant problems surrounding the Lake Lanao Watershed include illegal logging, small-scale mining and quarrying activities, and soil erosion, leading to siltation and increased turbidity of the waterways and lake.
The construction of additional spillways for the hydroelectric power station involves more dredging of riverbanks and destruction of riparian habitat.
Hunting causes massive disturbance on the lake and some pollution from insecticides and herbicides.
Mindanao’s most crucial lake faces a severe threat as native fish species that were once abundant are now vanishing at an alarming rate.
Invasive alien species, the second most significant threat to biodiversity worldwide, exist in areas where they are not naturally present.
Over-exposed rivers would have devastating effects on people and the environment, including reduced access to safe drinking water, deficiency of water for agriculture, loss of river transportation passageways, and loss of marine habitat. (Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy-BARMM)
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