Lake Letas
Encyclopedia
Lake Letas is the largest lake
in Vanuatu
, located in the center of the volcanic island of Gaua
of the Banks Islands
in northern Vanuatu. The place submitted an application to be considered an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
The lake is U-shaped, surrounding Mount Gharat
on all sides except southwest. It is about 9 km long (north to south) and about 6 km wide, with an area of 19 km². It is situated in the center of the 20 km diameter island, and rests about 600 meters above sea level and it is about 360 meters deep. It is a fresh water lake with a temperature of 32° Celsius, where only eel
s and shrimp
s can survive. The water in the lake is not very clear, but has a greenish color. Water constantly flows out of the lake at a natural overflow located on the eastern side of the lake. The water flows about 3 km east to Siri Waterfall
and then another 3 km through Namang or Mbe Solomul River before it reaches the sea.
Local people say there is a canoe at the top of the lake which is used to cross the lake from the eastern side to get to Mount Gharat
. The canoe is sometimes located on the eastern edge of the lake (near the water overflow), or sometimes on the north-eastern edge of the lake (nearest Gaua Airport
).
A rough estimate of the water flow rate out of the lake (during the dry season month of August 2006) was approximately 3 cubic meters per second.
In the 1980s it was suggested that the lake could be used as a resource for power generation to supply industrial developments but later the Tourism Council of the South Pacific has suggested that the lake should be included in Vanuatu's protected area system. The Department of Physical Planning and Environment is currently considering the status of protected area to the 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 Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
, located in the center of the volcanic island of Gaua
Gaua
Gaua is the largest of the Banks Islands in Torba Province of northern Vanuatu. It covers 342 km².- Physical geography :...
of the Banks Islands
Banks Islands
The Banks Islands are a group of islands in northern Vanuatu.Together with the Torres Islands to the northwest, they make up the northernmost province of Torba. The group lies about north of Maewo, and includes Gaua and Vanua Lava, two of the 13 largest islands in Vanuatu...
in northern Vanuatu. The place submitted an application to be considered an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
The lake is U-shaped, surrounding Mount Gharat
Mount Gharat
Mount Gharat or Mount Garet is the highest peak on the volcanic island of Gaua of the Banks Islands in northern Vanuatu. The peak is located at the centre of the island, is volcanically active and is surrounded by Lake Letas on all sides except southwest.- References :*...
on all sides except southwest. It is about 9 km long (north to south) and about 6 km wide, with an area of 19 km². It is situated in the center of the 20 km diameter island, and rests about 600 meters above sea level and it is about 360 meters deep. It is a fresh water lake with a temperature of 32° Celsius, where only eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
s and shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
s can survive. The water in the lake is not very clear, but has a greenish color. Water constantly flows out of the lake at a natural overflow located on the eastern side of the lake. The water flows about 3 km east to Siri Waterfall
Siri Waterfall
Siri Waterfall, formerly called Santa Maria Waterfall, is a 120 metre high waterfall located about 3 km inland from the eastern coast of the island of Gaua in northern Vanuatu....
and then another 3 km through Namang or Mbe Solomul River before it reaches the sea.
Local people say there is a canoe at the top of the lake which is used to cross the lake from the eastern side to get to Mount Gharat
Mount Gharat
Mount Gharat or Mount Garet is the highest peak on the volcanic island of Gaua of the Banks Islands in northern Vanuatu. The peak is located at the centre of the island, is volcanically active and is surrounded by Lake Letas on all sides except southwest.- References :*...
. The canoe is sometimes located on the eastern edge of the lake (near the water overflow), or sometimes on the north-eastern edge of the lake (nearest Gaua Airport
Gaua Airport
Gaua Airport is an airport on the island of Gaua, one of the Banks Islands in the Torba province in Vanuatu....
).
A rough estimate of the water flow rate out of the lake (during the dry season month of August 2006) was approximately 3 cubic meters per second.
In the 1980s it was suggested that the lake could be used as a resource for power generation to supply industrial developments but later the Tourism Council of the South Pacific has suggested that the lake should be included in Vanuatu's protected area system. The Department of Physical Planning and Environment is currently considering the status of protected area to the lake.