Mapanuepe Lake
Encyclopedia
Mapanuepe Lake is a freshwater lake
located in the province
of Zambales
in the Philippines
. The lake was created after the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Pinatubo
in 1991. Lahar
s following the eruption blocked the drainage of Mapanuepe River, south of the volcano
, flooding Mapanuepe Valley together with its settlements. Only the steeple
of the church protruding out of the water remained on one of the villages.
of Marella and Mapanuepe Rivers as the two rivers merge to become the Santo Tomas River. The subsequent rains following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
produced lahar
that dumped volcanic debris on the Marella River, one of the major drainages of the mountain, aggrading the river that eventually dammed the Mapanuepe River. The rising waters submerged the Mapanuepe Valley including the barangays of Aglao (lower), Buhawen and Pili of San Marcelino
, Zambales
. During the development of the lake, breaching and reforming of the debris dam occurred following each lahar episode. At its maximum extent, the lake grew to an area of 670 hectares (1,655.6 acre) and had a stored water volume of 75 x 106 cubic meters (75000000 cubic metres (98,096,296.4 cu yd)) before reaching its current state. The only structure that remains is a church tower with a huge metal cross right in the middle of the lake. Prior to the 1991 eruption, studies of geologic formations and sediments of Mapanuepe Valley showed that the area was the site of a similar lahar-formed lake from old eruptions.
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,...
located in the province
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of Zambales
Zambales
Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, and Bataan to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea and the Zambales Mountains. With a land area of...
in the 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...
. The lake was created after the cataclysmic eruption of Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
in 1991. Lahar
Lahar
A lahar is a type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a river valley. The term is a shortened version of "berlahar" which originated in the Javanese language of...
s following the eruption blocked the drainage of Mapanuepe River, south of the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
, flooding Mapanuepe Valley together with its settlements. Only the steeple
Steeple
Steeple may refer to:Placenames* Steeple, County Antrim, a townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland* Steeple, Dorset, a hamlet in south Dorset, England* Steeple, Essex, a very small village in south Essex, England...
of the church protruding out of the water remained on one of the villages.
History
Mapanuepe lake is located at the confluenceConfluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of Marella and Mapanuepe Rivers as the two rivers merge to become the Santo Tomas River. The subsequent rains following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
produced lahar
Lahar
A lahar is a type of mudflow or debris flow composed of a slurry of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, and water. The material flows down from a volcano, typically along a river valley. The term is a shortened version of "berlahar" which originated in the Javanese language of...
that dumped volcanic debris on the Marella River, one of the major drainages of the mountain, aggrading the river that eventually dammed the Mapanuepe River. The rising waters submerged the Mapanuepe Valley including the barangays of Aglao (lower), Buhawen and Pili of San Marcelino
San Marcelino, Zambales
San Marcelino is a 1st class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 29,052 people in 5,866 households.-Etymology:...
, Zambales
Zambales
Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, and Bataan to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea and the Zambales Mountains. With a land area of...
. During the development of the lake, breaching and reforming of the debris dam occurred following each lahar episode. At its maximum extent, the lake grew to an area of 670 hectares (1,655.6 acre) and had a stored water volume of 75 x 106 cubic meters (75000000 cubic metres (98,096,296.4 cu yd)) before reaching its current state. The only structure that remains is a church tower with a huge metal cross right in the middle of the lake. Prior to the 1991 eruption, studies of geologic formations and sediments of Mapanuepe Valley showed that the area was the site of a similar lahar-formed lake from old eruptions.
Water quality
The lake water is reportedly contaminated with mercury leaking from the abandoned Dizon Copper Mine which is located on the east shore of the lake.Popular culture
- The lake was featured on Episode 10 in the second season of Destination TruthDestination TruthDestination Truth is a weekly American paranormal reality television series that premiered on June 6, 2007 on Syfy. Produced by Mandt Bros. Productions and Ping Pong Productions, the program follows paranormal researcher Josh Gates around the world to investigate claims of the supernatural, mainly...
, an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
TV show on SyFySyfySyfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
channel, titled AhoolAhoolThe ahool is a flying cryptid, supposedly a giant bat, or by other accounts, a living pterosaur or flying primate. Such a creature is unknown to science and there is no objective evidence that it exists as claimed.- Details :...
and Pinatubo Monsters . The Destination Truth team made an investigation following reports by local fishermen of mysterious, giant, and black fish-like creatures swimming on the lake labeled as the "Pinatubo Monster" by the show.