Colbún Lake is an artificial reservoir in the Maule Region

Maule Region

The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...

 in Chile

Chile

Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

, located 48 km southeast of the city of Talca

Talca

Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....

, the regional capital. With an area of 5,700 hecatares and a capacity of 1,490,000 m³ it is the largest artificial reservoir in Chile. The lake is at an altitude of 440 metres above sea level.

It was built between the years 1980 and 1985, in order to retain the waters of the Maule River

Maule river

The Maule river is one of the most important rivers of Chile and is inextricably linked to this country's pre-Hispanic times, the country's conquest, colonial period, wars of Independence, modern history, agriculture , culture , religion, economy and politics...

 for use in agricultural

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 irrigation

Irrigation

Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...

 and hydroelectric power.

Recreation

In the summer, the waters reach 23 °C. For this reason, and with the warm weather during the summer months, it is also widely used for water sports. It also offers a wide range activities, lodging and tourism services to visitors.