Laguna de Paca also known as Paca Lagoon, is a placid lake

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 Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

. It is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of the historic town of Jauja

Jauja

Jauja is a city and capital of Jauja Province in Peru. It is situated in the fertile Mantaro Valley, to the northwest of Huancayo , at an altitude of . Its population according to the 2007 census was 16,424....

, which was once the capital of Peru, before Lima was built as its new capital. The lake precincts is habitat for rich flora and fauna. The lake is sourced to springs.

Geography

Laguna de Paca is one of the three lakes in the Mantaro River Valley

Mantaro Valley

The Mantaro Valley, with its main city of Huancayo, lies east of the capital of Peru, Lima. It is a fertile valley containing fields of corn, artichokes, carrots and potatoes, alongside which flows the Mantaro River. The Mantaro Valley is also renowned as an area containing many sites of...

 in the central highlands of Peru formed by high Cordillera ranges, which has three tributary valleys known as the Masma, the Paca and the Yanamarca. Laguna Paca is the only lake in the Paca valley which has water throughout the year. However, floating mats of rushes and sedges cover the south side of the lake. The lake itself does not drain out, as like the other lakes in the valleys, has been “filled up by interglacial fill, and alluvial and eolian sedimentation

Sedimentation

Sedimentation is the tendency for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained, and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the forces acting on them: these forces can be due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration...

.” The river that originates in this valley, is called the Mantaro River

Mantaro River

The Mantaro River is a long river running through the central region of Peru. Its Quechua name means "great river".-Geography:The river has its source at Lake Junín at a height of 4.080 m and runs through Junín, Yauli, Jauja, Concepción and Huancayo provinces in Junín Region, then through...

. It flows near the Jauja

Jauja

Jauja is a city and capital of Jauja Province in Peru. It is situated in the fertile Mantaro Valley, to the northwest of Huancayo , at an altitude of . Its population according to the 2007 census was 16,424....

 town into a large alluvial plain. Formation of this region and its lake system is attributed to diverse sedimentary, glacial and tectonic activity. The valley formation is dated to the Late Pliocene

Pliocene

The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...

 and early Pleistocene

Pleistocene

The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....

 uplift unconformity. Laguna de Paca covers an area of 21.4 square kilometre.

The lagoon is located an elevation of 3418 metres (11,213.9 ft). Its water spread area covers the districts of Paca

Paca

The Lowland Paca , also known as the Spotted Paca, is a large rodent found in tropical and sub-tropical America, from East-Central Mexico to Northern Argentina...

, Chunán

San Pedro de Chunan District

San Pedro de Chunan District is one of thirty-four districts of the province Jauja in Peru.-References:...

 and Pancán

Pancán District

Pancán District is one of thirty-four districts of the province Jauja in Peru.-References:...

. The lake has a storage capacity of 85500 cubic metre. It is a popular tourist centre visited by people from the Mantaro Valley

Mantaro Valley

The Mantaro Valley, with its main city of Huancayo, lies east of the capital of Peru, Lima. It is a fertile valley containing fields of corn, artichokes, carrots and potatoes, alongside which flows the Mantaro River. The Mantaro Valley is also renowned as an area containing many sites of...

 and other regions of Peru.

The lake precincts have a variety of wild life, birds in particular. Trout

Trout

Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...

 fish is the popular aqua fauna of the lake, which is fried and served in restaurants located around the lake

Historic culture

The historic culture of the region represented as Huanca culture is seen in the precincts of the lake also, in the form of stone circular buildings, which are mostly in ruins. The west side of the lake has many popular restaurants catering to tourist traffic.

According to legend cited by Dennis Siluk, in addition to the city which was buried near Chupaea in the lake of Nahuinpuquio, Laguna de Paca lake area was also a city where the Wanka culture

Wanka

Wanka or Huanca may refer to:In Peru:* The Wankas or Huancas, a historic people* Wanka Quechua, a language* Huanca , a typical dance from the Amazonas Region* Huancas District in the province of Chachapoyas...

, also known as the Huanca culture, flourished. It is conjectured that this culture existed even at the time of the birth of Christ

Christ

Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...

. The legend of the lake has been further glorified by Dennis Siluk, the Poet Laureate of Peru, with the following verses of a poem.

Part one

I shall tell you a legend of long ago

Of the sunken city of La Laguna de Paca,

(Where I had met a lingering ghost)

Wherein this region of Huancayo-Peru;

Truth lies, but only the soul knows.


Part two

“The legend goes, of long ago:

During the raising of the full moon

The mermaid of the La Laguna de Paca, appears

And to the nearby town’s folks, she echoes…

Echoes, her cries and moans


Then when one thinks all is well—

The enchanting rings, the rings…!

Of the bells, the Great Bells, bells

Of the sunken church of La Laguna de Paca

Are heard, heard by the folks of the town.


Part Three

But there is more to this legend:

For it is said, wherein the dark night

(The ink dark macabre star-lit nights)

Wherein the eeriness of the full moon

Ebbs across the Laguna de Paca, gives birth,

To the Great Bull, who scorches the hillside!

Scorches the foliage to its bones…!

Scorches with fire and brimstone.


Part Four

And now I tell you of my tale—

A tale that took place but a few days ago,

By a misty embankment along the Laguna de Paca.

Here, here I stood, stood within its grip, trance:

Aloft in the eldritch dark--it lingered

This shadowy configuration of the ghoul,

The ghoul l…l… of the lake, Laguna de Paca--.


And there in the giant eucalyptus, Grande Tree

It shifted and swayed, peering: looking at me…

Then at forth glance, it disappeared,

As if it sank—submerged! …into the great lake…

Of La Laguna de Paca!...