BACKGROUND INFORMATION: LAKE LANAO
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| Lake Lanao (photo: http://365greatpinoystuff.wordpress.com/2010/04/07/97-lake-lanao/) |
Lake Lanao is located in the Province of Lanao del Sur, an Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippines surrounded by volcanoes and towns. It lies between 8° N. Latitude and 124° E. Longitude. Lake Lanao has an immense watershed of approximately 147,460 ha. It has an area of 354.60 square kilometers and a mean depth of 60 meters, with the deepest part at 112 meters. It is the largest lake in Mindanao, the second largest in the Philippines, and is considered one of the 17 ancient lakes of the world that is little known and seldom visited by tourists. It was said to be formed by the tectonic-volcanic damming of a basin between two mountain ranges and the collapse of a large volcano. The lake is fed by four rivers contributing water to Lake Lanao which consist of Taraka, Gata, Masiu, and Bacayawan. The lake's only outlet is the Agus River, which exits southwest into Iligan Bay by the Maria Cristina Falls and Cinnamon Falls. Lake Lanao serves as a reservoir for the Agus hydroelectric power plants tapped by the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) which generates about 75% of Mindanao’s power. Maria Cristina Falls is very beneficial in that it has a very strong surge of water and powers the hydroelectric power plant that supplies the electricity.
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| Lake Lanao's Characteristics (photo: Rosagaron, Roman P. "Lake Lanao: Its Past and Present Status." (2001): 29-39. Print.) |
Lake Lanao used to be home to 18 endemic fish species, Cyprinids, which is a large family of freshwater fish that include carps, minnows, and barbs, with 3 endemic species left. All 18 species are thought to have evolved from one species, the spotted barb. Unfortunately, changes in water levels and the introduction of other non-native species of fish have reduced the number of endemics as well. On the other hand, a variety of waterfowl now live at Lake Lanao because it is well-supplied with wetlands providing excellent breeding habitats for shorebirds. They include egrets, bitterns, herons, ducks, geese, rails, and Eurasian coots found in large numbers. Also wild pig and deer inhabit the shoreline as well, which is also used for livestock grazing. The ecoregion is also home to 41 endemic freshwater crab species.
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| (photo: Rosagaron, Roman P. "Lake Lanao: Its Past and Present Status." (2001): 29-39. Print.) |
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| Puntius sirang, one of the 18 endemic species (photo: http://blogs.fanbox.com/SinglePost.aspx?pbid=1826730&post=2674635&bts=29&apid=2674635&aid=0) |
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| Spotted barb fish (photo: http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/puntius-binotatus/) |
LOCATION AND MAP OF LAKE LANAO:
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| (photo: http://www.worldlakes.org/uploads/Lake_Lanao_Issue_WorldLakes.pdf) |
HISTORICAL STATE OF LAKE LANAO:
Lake Lanao never originally existed as a lake before so there's not really much to say how it historically looked like. However, it was believed to have formed by a collapsed crater of a volcano now surrounded by farming villages and towns. Lake Lanao fills the crater of the volcano at an elevation of 2,300 feet above sea level. It has been theorized by David G. Frey that the lake developed as a result of "the tectonic-volcanic damming of a basin between two mountain ranges and the collapse of a large volcano. The formation of the basin could have resulted from depressed fault blocks caused by the movement of the underlying magma." (David G. Frey) According to Frey of Indiana University in Bloomington, the establishment of Lake Lanao might have happened during the late Tertiary Period. The Tertiary Period ended about 10,000,000 years ago therefore making Lake Lanao about 10 million years old.
HUMAN IMPACTS OF LAKE LANAO:
The lake is largely
impacted by humans. Lake Lanao and along
the rivers has suffered from
logging timber, extensive land use, and also
from farming in the water catchment area. Logging in the
water catchment area is slowly increasing soil erosion, and this is
causing increased siltation and affecting water quality in the
lake. As a result, the water flowing into and from the
lake has been reduced severely. Soil erosion also contributes to the
decline of the lake due to increasing sewage
and agricultural run-off which have added greatly to
the deterioration of water quality in the lake. Pollution
from insecticides and herbicides from hunting, over fishing, and the
introduction of exotic species of fish such as the white goby and milk fish all contributed to the extinction of the 18 endemic species of cyprinid fish with only the Puntius lindug, P. sirang, and P.
tumba species left.
NON HUMAN IMPACTS OF LAKE LANAO:
Furthermore, the establishment of the Maria Cristina hydroelectric dam in Lake Lanao (made by the National Power Corporation or NAPOCOR) which gives out the power source, causes seasonal fluctuations in the lake water level and displacement of the fish and their breeding grounds. When the dam was built, the water temperature changed and got warmer due to the sun and altered the water quality for the fish living there. There was also sediment buildup happening that formed underneath the dam and made the lake filthy; this changed the ecology of the water for the fish. The construction of additional spillways for the hydroelectric power station involves more dredging of river banks and destruction of land that is owned by people.
DATA THAT SUPPORTS THE BAD IMPACTS:
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| Extensive logging practices around Lake Lanao (photo: http://alleluiapanis.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/tribal-tour-diaries 2002/) |
In 2006, a recent study by the Mindanao State University discovered massive algae contamination mainly because of the soil erosion from indiscriminate logging in the watershed and from the extensive land use and farming in the surrounding areas (Gallardo, 2006).
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| Algae contamination in the lake (photo: http://202.91.162.22/web/lakelanao/) |
NON HUMAN IMPACTS OF LAKE LANAO:
Furthermore, the establishment of the Maria Cristina hydroelectric dam in Lake Lanao (made by the National Power Corporation or NAPOCOR) which gives out the power source, causes seasonal fluctuations in the lake water level and displacement of the fish and their breeding grounds. When the dam was built, the water temperature changed and got warmer due to the sun and altered the water quality for the fish living there. There was also sediment buildup happening that formed underneath the dam and made the lake filthy; this changed the ecology of the water for the fish. The construction of additional spillways for the hydroelectric power station involves more dredging of river banks and destruction of land that is owned by people.
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| Hydroelectric Power Plant in Lake Lanao (photo: http://www.nscdigest.com/2012/09/27/china-financing-eyed-for-agus-3/) |
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| Agus River Dam in Lake Lanao (photo: http://habagatcentral.com/2012/04/27/lake-lanao-the-heart-of-the-maranao-civilization/) |
DATA THAT SUPPORTS THE BAD IMPACTS:
I couldn't find a data table to support the impacts, however I did find information from a Philippine Environmental Governance Project that does support the assessment of it. "The Philippines suffers from declining fish production and overflowing trash. About 70% of coral reefs are destroyed – over fishing and destructive fishing practices threaten the country’s food security. Less than 40% of solid waste is collected, the rest clogs rivers, [Lake Lanao], and streets. Almost 58 percent of all groundwater is contaminated. Only 7% of domestic effluents is managed." http://ecogovproject.denr.gov.ph/docs/About_ecogov_full_story.htm
PROTECTED AREAS OF LAKE LANAO:
There are no protected areas of Lake Lanao but the lake itself is is a protected ecosystem now. Lake Lanao-AgusRiver watershed is considered critical because it serves as a source of water for hydropower and irrigation. It was proclaimed as a watershed reservation on February 26, 1992 through Presidential Proclamation 871. It declares the lake as a protected area and a protection of forest cover and water yield for hydropower, irrigation, and domestic use. Lake Lanao Watershed Protection And Development Council (LLWPDC) was created under Memorandum Order No. 421 on August 14, 1972 with membership of different Government Agencies such as National Power Corporation, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Mindanao State University. The Council's primary task is to manage the reservations and to serve as the policy governing body in all development projects in the watershed area and Lake Lanao. This law was created for the effective development and protection of Lake Lanao without sacrificing the well being of the people of the lake.
The lake is owned by the local authority; the surrounding areas are partly private and partly state owned.
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| (photo: Rosagaron, Roman P. "Lake Lanao: Its Past and Present Status." (2001): 29-39. Print.) |
LAKE LANAO AND IT'S BENEFITS:
Today the lake supports a major fishery including goby, tilapia, catfish, and many more fish. Lake Lanao is important for recreational activities including boating, swimming, sport fishing, and commercial fishing. Aside from fishing, the Lake is used extensively by Maranao people as a primary transportation route to transport farm products, goods to sell, and also people to the settlements along the shore lines as well. The lake gets very busy especially on market days when they sell their goods. Maranao people grow rice and other crops on their farming plots and use the lake water for bathing and drinking water. Not only is Lake Lanao important to the Maranao homeland, but also to the entire island of Mindanao being the primary source of power.
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| Children boating and swimming in Lake Lanao. (photo:http://alleluiapanis.wordpress.com/2010/03/01/tribal-tour-diaries-2002/ ) |
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| Aside from fishing, Lake Lanao was used extensively to transport farm products and people. (photo: www.maranao.com) |
PROSPECTS OF THE FUTURE:
If contamination from garbage and algae,
increase in soil erosion due to sewage and agricultural run-off, extensive land
use, and other factors that were mentioned in human impacts continue this will further affect the deterioration of water quality in the lake. If this persists, there won't be any more transportation due to the bacteria in the lake
and spread of diseases, can't be used for bathing and drinking, and for
recreational activities such as swimming. Most importantly Maranao people won't have food security for local consumption and the livelihood of communities who are dependent on Lake Lanao may be seriously affected. Hopefully, we will be able to take action and prevent these human
impacts from happening with the help of DENR–ARMM (Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) and USAID-EcoGov (USAID's Philippine Environmental Governance) Project as well (discussed more in conversation status and maintenance). If that is done, Lake Lanao will still be able
to give the Maranao homeland their livelihood and culture.
CONSERVATION STATUS AND MAINTENANCE:
We can stop the growing threats to the ecosystem of Lake Lanao by preventing high pollution levels that are endangering the other three endemic species and the other variety of fish as well. We can set up policies to stop soil erosion from illegal logging and the conversion of natural forest from algae contamination from forming, one of the major culprits for the lake's bad water quality. We can make regulations to stop poor sewage and agricultural waste management which contaminates the lake more restricting the people from taking baths or swimming. In Mindanao, people can also set up conference workshops to give awareness of what's going on in their lake and to educate people on how to decrease these factors to save Lake Lanao from becoming worse.
However, the lake has been declared a National Park and Reserve, and is under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Forest Development. An environmental impact assessment has been carried out on the National Power Corporation's Hydroelectric project on the Agus River. A lake being the source of power, water, and food, Lake Lanao is threatened by increasing amounts of garbage from contamination in the lake. In an effort to protect the lake, the Islamic City of Marawi addressed the problem by establishing an agreement with USAID-EcoGov (USAID's Philippine Environmental Governance) Project and the DENR–ARMM (Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) to improve and also for a new solid wage management program. This program helps protect Lake Lanao by diverting 25% of Marawi City's waste to recycling and composting. Recycling the water decreases the pollution, protects the marine life and the endemic species, and is also utilized to maintain the lake as well.
However, the lake has been declared a National Park and Reserve, and is under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Forest Development. An environmental impact assessment has been carried out on the National Power Corporation's Hydroelectric project on the Agus River. A lake being the source of power, water, and food, Lake Lanao is threatened by increasing amounts of garbage from contamination in the lake. In an effort to protect the lake, the Islamic City of Marawi addressed the problem by establishing an agreement with USAID-EcoGov (USAID's Philippine Environmental Governance) Project and the DENR–ARMM (Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) to improve and also for a new solid wage management program. This program helps protect Lake Lanao by diverting 25% of Marawi City's waste to recycling and composting. Recycling the water decreases the pollution, protects the marine life and the endemic species, and is also utilized to maintain the lake as well.
REFERENCES:
- Jose, Aida M., and Nathaniel Cruz. "Climate Change Impacts and Responses in the Philippines: Water Resources." Climate Research 12 (1999): 77-84. Print.
- Sampson, David B., and Gladys B. Ismail. "He Status and Life History Traits of Endemic, Native and Introduced Species in Lake Lanao, Philippines." Diss. Oregon State University, 2011. Abstract. (n.d.): n. pag. Print.
- Alonzo-Pasicolan, Simplicia N., and Perla M. Magsalay. "Lake Lanao." Lake Lanao. Haribon Foundation, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2012. <http://www.arcbc.org.ph/wetlands/philippines/phl_laklanao.html>.
- One Step towards Saving Lake Lanao." One Step towards Saving Lake Lanao. Development ALternatives, Inc, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2012. <http://ecogovproject.denr.gov.ph/docs/Story_One_step_towards_saving_LakeLanao.htm>.
- Lake Lanao, Philippines." Popular Vacation Lakes (2007-2012): n. pag. Print.
- Sidic, Zobair B. "Lake Lanao: An Ancient Lake and Cultural Identity." Identity (2012): n. pag. Articlebase. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. <http://www.articlesbase.com/culture-articles/lake-lanao-an-ancient-lake-and-cultural-identity-5867281.html>.
- Naga, Pipalawan O., Mr. "Location of Lake Lanao: Ancient Lakes of the World." Lake Lanao Issue (n.d.): 1-7. Print.
- Inland Waters Biodiversity: Lakes - Lake Lanao." Philippine Clearing House Mechanism for Biodiversity 2009: n. pag. Web. <http://www.chm.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102%3Ainland-waters-biodiversity-lakes-lake-lanao&catid=36%3Abiodiversity-in-the-philippines&Itemid=91>.
- Rosagaron, Roman P. "Lake Lanao: Its Past and Present Status." (2001): 29-39. Print.
- "EcoGov 2." Philippine Environmental Governance Project. Development Alternatives, Inc, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://ecogovproject.denr.gov.ph/docs/About_ecogov_full_story.htm>.
- "EcoGov 2." Philippine Environmental Governance Project. Development Alternatives, Inc, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://ecogovproject.denr.gov.ph/docs/About_ecogov_full_story.htm>.
