Lake Buhi
Encyclopedia
Lake Buhi is a lake
found in Buhi, Camarines Sur
, Philippines
.
It has an area of 18 square kilometres and has an average depth of 8 meters. The lake lies in the valley formed by two ancient volcanoes, Mt. Asog and Mt. Malinao. It was created in 1641, when an earthquake caused a side of Mt. Asog to collapse. The resulting landslide created a natural dam that blocked the flow of nearby streams. Another theory suggests that it was created by the eruption of Mt. Asog, which is now dormant.
The lake is famous since it is one of the few bodies of water that contains the sinarapan
(Mistichthys luzonensis) which is the world's smallest commercially-harvested fish.
Aside from the sinarapan, Lake Buhi is also home for other marine organisms such as the Irin-irin (Redigobius dispar), Dalag (Channa striata
), Puyo (Anabas testudineus), Kotnag (Hemiramphus sp.
), Burirawan (Strophidon sathete) and native catfish (Clarias sp.
). Other fishes are introduced to boost the fishery industry such as the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus
), Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus
), Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Bangkok Hito (Clarias sp.).
The forest surrounding the lake is the home of at least 25 bird species. The five endemic species are the Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, Philippine Hanging Parrot, Black-naped Monarch
, Elegant Tit
and the White-eared Brown Dove. Other fauna found in the forest are flying lizards (Draco sp.
), skink
s, monitor lizards (Varanus marmoratus), civet cat
s, bats and the Philippine Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fasicularis).
Today the lake is the main source of water supply for the National Power Corporation
Hydro Electric Plant. The power plant, which was founded in 1952, generates an average of 2.8 megawatts. It is also used by the National Irrigation Administration to irrigate at least 100 square kilometres of the Riconada towns located downstream and Iriga City
.
in Camarines Sur
's Lake Buhi threatened the livelihood
of local fishermen. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) stated that it resulted from sulfur dioxide
from Iriga City, since the rains by the southwest monsoon
loosened the sulfur dioxide
from nearby volcanoes. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
(Phivolcs) rejected BFAR's finding. Buhi has 67,762 people
and 13,238 households.
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,...
found in Buhi, Camarines Sur
Buhi, Camarines Sur
Buhi, a town in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 70,756 people.According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Lake Buhi is home to the world's smallest edible fish locally known as "Sinarapan" .Notable Buhinons include Victor Wood...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.
It has an area of 18 square kilometres and has an average depth of 8 meters. The lake lies in the valley formed by two ancient volcanoes, Mt. Asog and Mt. Malinao. It was created in 1641, when an earthquake caused a side of Mt. Asog to collapse. The resulting landslide created a natural dam that blocked the flow of nearby streams. Another theory suggests that it was created by the eruption of Mt. Asog, which is now dormant.
The lake is famous since it is one of the few bodies of water that contains the sinarapan
Sinarapan
The sinarapan is the world's smallest commercially harvested fish located in the Philippines. They are endemic to the Bicol Region, specifically in Lake Buhi, Lake Bato, Bicol River and other bodies of water in Camarines Sur province.Sinarapan are a type of goby and they are transparent, except...
(Mistichthys luzonensis) which is the world's smallest commercially-harvested fish.
Aside from the sinarapan, Lake Buhi is also home for other marine organisms such as the Irin-irin (Redigobius dispar), Dalag (Channa striata
Channa striata
The snakehead murrel, Channa striata, is a species of snakehead fish. It is also known as the common snakehead, chevron snakehead, striped snakehead, haloan, aruan, haruan and dalag...
), Puyo (Anabas testudineus), Kotnag (Hemiramphus sp.
Hemiramphus
Hemiramphus is a genus of schooling marine fish commonly called halfbeaks, garfish, or ballyhoos, and are members of the family Hemiramphidae. They inhabit the surface of warm temperate and tropical sea, and feed on algae, plankton, and smaller fish...
), Burirawan (Strophidon sathete) and native catfish (Clarias sp.
Clarias
Clarias is a genus of catfishes of the family Clariidae, the airbreathing catfishes. The name is derived from the Greek chlaros, which means lively, in reference to the ability of the fish to live for a long time out of water....
). Other fishes are introduced to boost the fishery industry such as the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus
Oreochromis niloticus
The Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus is a relatively large cichlid fish, which is native to Africa from Egypt south to East and Central Africa, and as far west as Gambia. It is also native to Israel, and numerous introduced populations exist outside its natural range.It is also commercially...
), Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus
Oreochromis mossambicus
The Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, is a tilapiine cichlid fish native to southern Africa. It is a popular fish for aquaculture...
), Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Bangkok Hito (Clarias sp.).
The forest surrounding the lake is the home of at least 25 bird species. The five endemic species are the Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, Philippine Hanging Parrot, Black-naped Monarch
Black-naped Monarch
The Black-naped Monarch or Black-naped Blue Flycatcher is a slim and agile passerine bird belonging to the family of monarch flycatchers. They are sexually dimorphic with males having a distinctive black patch on the back of the head and a narrow black half collar while the female is duller and...
, Elegant Tit
Elegant Tit
The Elegant Tit is a species of bird in the tit family Paridae. The species was formerly included in the much larger genus Parus, and some authorities have suggested that along with the closely related Palawan Tit and Yellow-bellied Tit it should be placed in a new genus, Pardaliparus...
and the White-eared Brown Dove. Other fauna found in the forest are flying lizards (Draco sp.
Draco lizard
Draco also known as Flying Dragons is a genus of agamid lizard from South and Southeast Asia. The ribs and their connecting membrane can be extended to create a wing, the hindlimbs are flattened and wing-like in cross-section, and a small set of flaps on the neck serve as a horizontal stabilizer....
), skink
Skink
Skinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
s, monitor lizards (Varanus marmoratus), civet cat
Civet cat
Civet cat is an imprecise term that is used for a variety of cat-like creatures including:*Civets, of the families Viverridae and Nandiniidae*Ring-tailed Cat or North American Civet Cat , related to the raccoons...
s, bats and the Philippine Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fasicularis).
Today the lake is the main source of water supply for the National Power Corporation
National Power Corporation
The National Power Corporation , also known as the NPC or Napocor, is a state-owned company that serves as the largest provider and generator of electricity in the Philippines...
Hydro Electric Plant. The power plant, which was founded in 1952, generates an average of 2.8 megawatts. It is also used by the National Irrigation Administration to irrigate at least 100 square kilometres of the Riconada towns located downstream and Iriga City
Iriga City
The City of Iriga is a 4th class city in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is located about 400 kilometers south of Manila, 37 kilometers south of Naga, and about 61 kilometers north of Legazpi City...
.
Fish kill
On September 22, 2007, a fish killFish kill
The term fish kill, known also as fish die-off and as fish mortality, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalised mortality of aquatic life...
in Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur
Camarines Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the province borders Camarines Norte and Quezon to the north, and Albay to the south...
's Lake Buhi threatened the livelihood
Livelihood
A person's livelihood referers to "means of securing the necessities of life". For instance a fisherman's livelihood depends on the availability and accessibility of fish.- In social sciences :...
of local fishermen. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) stated that it resulted from sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is released by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel...
from Iriga City, since the rains by the southwest monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
loosened the sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula . It is released by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulfur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide unless the sulfur compounds are removed before burning the fuel...
from nearby volcanoes. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide information on the activities of volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as other specialized information and services primarily for the protection of life and property and in...
(Phivolcs) rejected BFAR's finding. Buhi has 67,762 people
People
People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:* as the plural of person or a group of people People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:*...
and 13,238 households.