Lago de Oviedo
Encyclopedia
Lago de Oviedo, also known as Laguna de Oviedo, is a saltwater lake
in Jaragua National Park
, Pedernales Province, Dominican Republic
. It is approximately 25 km2 in area, making it the second largest body of water in the Dominican Republic
after Lake Enriquillo
.
Although receiving freshwater from the Bahoruco Mountain Range, the lake is hypersaline due to sea water flowing into the lake through an underground system caused by a karstic depression. Salinity levels show seasonal changes due to precipitation, evaporation and the amount of freshwater input.
One of the most notable aspects of this lake is the greenish aspect of its water, caused by limestone
sediments being dragged into the lake by the underground water flow.
Its unique flora and fauna are perhaps its most interesting feature; flamingos, rhinoceros iguanas, mangrove
s, various species of endemic birds and several cays inside the lake are a common sighting.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in Jaragua National Park
Jaragua National Park
Jaragua National Park is a national park of the Dominican Republic. Jaragua National Park is located in Pedenales Province in the extreme southwest of the Dominican Republic...
, Pedernales Province, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. It is approximately 25 km2 in area, making it the second largest body of water in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
after Lake Enriquillo
Lake Enriquillo
Lake Enriquillo is a lake in the Dominican Republic and is the largest lake and lowest point in the Caribbean and the lowest point on any ocean island. It is one of only a few saltwater lakes in the world inhabited by crocodiles...
.
Although receiving freshwater from the Bahoruco Mountain Range, the lake is hypersaline due to sea water flowing into the lake through an underground system caused by a karstic depression. Salinity levels show seasonal changes due to precipitation, evaporation and the amount of freshwater input.
One of the most notable aspects of this lake is the greenish aspect of its water, caused by limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
sediments being dragged into the lake by the underground water flow.
Its unique flora and fauna are perhaps its most interesting feature; flamingos, rhinoceros iguanas, mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
s, various species of endemic birds and several cays inside the lake are a common sighting.