Lake Mainit

The Lake Mainit is the fourth largest lake in the Philippines and is located in the northeast of the island of Mindanao. It occupies a total area of ​​173.4 km ² and has a maximum depth of 223 m.

Geography

The freshwater lake is situated in a narrow plain, nestled between mountain ranges on the northern tip of the island of Mindanao. At its eastern coastline of the Diwata Mountain Range lies with the Mt Kabatuan and Mt Mabaho, on its western side of the southern ridge of the mountain Tendido, spanning the foothills to the village Tubay and delimits the sea from the coast.

The Mainit Lake belongs to a part to the Philippine province Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Norte to others. In total there are eight towns on its banks: Alegria, Tubod, Mainit and Sison the province of Surigao del Norte and Tubay, Santiago, Jabonga and Kitcharao from the province of Agusan del Norte.

The nearest towns are 42 km away and Surigao City in the north of the lake and Butuan City, which is located 82 km south.

In total there are fourteen streams and small rivers that supply the lake with fresh water. The Lalinawan River carries the water from the lake in the Pagusi Lake and Tubay River, which it carried in the bay of Butuan. The coastline is steep and has a total length of about 50 km.

The lake lies at an altitude of 27 m above sea level and its average depth is 128 m. The adjoining land is used for agriculture and is authoritative rice cultivation. The shore area expands into a vast wetland.

Flora and Fauna

In the lake different genera of aquatic plants are located. Examples are the phytoplankton ( green algae) Anabaena, Lyngbya, Synedra and Spirogyra. Depth points are covered from the ground nettles and Chara spp. There are water lettuce and water hyacinth at the water surface. Important waterside plants are Oncosperma tigillarium as well as some species of bamboo.

The lake also contains various fish species that represent the livelihood of the fishermen along the seacoast. Sun, 12 species have been identified, which can be found in Mainit Lake. These include Neochanna, gobies, tilapia, catfish, carp, eels, milkfish, and fish climbing and bush fish.

Swell

• A Directory of Philippine Wetlands. Vol I, compiled by Davies, J. et al. (Asian Wetland Bureau Philippines Foundation, Inc, 1991)