Lake Akan

Lake Akan
阿寒湖

The view from Mount Oakan (July 2008)
Location Kushiro, Hokkaidō, Japan
Coordinates 43°27′6″N 144°5′55″E / 43.45167°N 144.09861°E / 43.45167; 144.09861Coordinates: 43°27′6″N 144°5′55″E / 43.45167°N 144.09861°E / 43.45167; 144.09861
Lake type Dimictic
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
Designated 8 November 2005
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.
Akan Caldera
Lake Akan (center)
Mount Meakan (bottom left)
Mount Oakan (center right)
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.[1][2]

History

Volcanic activity formed the lake some 6,000 years ago, when a 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.[3]

Flora and fauna

The lake is famous for the marimo (Aegagropila sauteri), aggregations of algae that form into spherical shapes 2–15 cm in diameter. Other flora of the lake include the following:[3]

Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) are native to Lake Akan. Other fauna of the lake include the following:[3]

See also

References

  1. "Data Summary: Akan-ko (Lake Akan)". World Lakes Database. International Lake Environment Committee. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  2. "Ramsar Sites in Japan - Akan-ko" (PDF). Ministry of the Environment. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "AKAN-KO (LAKE AKAN)". World Lakes Database. International Lake Environment Committee. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
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