Lake Buhi

{{Short description|Lake in Camarines Sur, Philippines}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Lake Buhi

| image = Mt. Asog seen at Buhi Cam Sur.JPG

| caption = The lake with Mount Iriga in the background

| image_bathymetry =

| caption_bathymetry =

| location = Bicol Peninsula

| pushpin_map = Philippines

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_alt =

| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the Philippines

| coordinates = {{coord|13|27|00|N|123|31|00|E|region:PH|display=inline,title}}

| coor_pinpoint =

| type = Freshwater

| inflow = {{hlist | item-style=white-space:nowrap; | Buhi River | Iriga River }}

| outflow = Tabao River

| catchment =

| basin_countries = Philippines

| length =

| width =

| area = {{Convert|1707|ha|km2|2|abbr=on}}

| depth = {{Convert|8|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}

| max-depth = {{Convert|12|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}

| volume =

| residence_time =

| shore =

| elevation = {{Convert|120|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}

| islands =

| cities = Buhi

}}

Lake Buhi is a lake found in Buhi, Camarines Sur in the Philippines. It has an area of {{convert|18|km2|abbr=off}} and has an average depth of {{convert|8|m|ft}}. The lake lies in the valley formed by two ancient volcanoes, Mount Iriga (also known as Mount Asog) and Mount Malinao. It was created in 1641, when an earthquake caused a side of Mount Asog to collapse. The resulting landslide created a natural dam that blocked the flow of nearby streams.{{Cite web |title=Lake Buhi |url=http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/asi/asi-20.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419200627/http://www.ilec.or.jp/database/asi/asi-20.html |archive-date=April 19, 2009 |access-date=October 15, 2008 |website=World Lakes Database |publisher=International Lake Environment Committee}} Another theory suggests that it was created by the eruption of Mt. Asog, which is now dormant.

The lake is famous since it is one of the few bodies of water that contains the sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis) which is the world's smallest commercially harvested fish.

Aside from the sinarapan, Lake Buhi is also home for other marine organisms such as the Irin-irin (Redigobius bikolanus), Dalag (Channa striata), Puyo (Anabas testudineus), Kotnag (Hemiramphus sp.), Burirawan (Strophidon sathete) and native catfish (Clarias sp.). Other fishes are introduced to boost the fishery industry such as the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Bangkok hito (Clarias sp.).

The forest surrounding the lake is the home of at least 25 bird species. The five endemic species are the Philippine pygmy woodpecker, Philippine hanging parrot, black-naped monarch, elegant tit and the white-eared brown dove. Other fauna found in the forest are flying lizards (Draco sp.), skinks, monitor lizards (Varanus marmoratus), civets, bats and the Philippine Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis).{{Cite web |date=February 26, 2006 |title=Rediscovering Lake Buhi: Home of the World's Smallest Edible Fish |url=http://www.haribon.org.ph/index.php?q=node%2Fview%2F317 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061013163925/http://www.haribon.org.ph/index.php?q=node/view/317 |archive-date=October 13, 2006 |website=Haribon Foundation}}

Today the lake is the main source of water supply for the National Power Corporation Hydro Electric Plant. The power plant, which was founded in 1952, generates an average of 2.8 megawatts. It is also used by the National Irrigation Administration to irrigate at least {{convert|100|km2|abbr=off}} of the Riconada towns located downstream and Iriga City.{{Cite web |title=Local Government Unit: Municipality of Buhi |url=http://elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/buhi/index.php?id1=21&id2=1&id3=0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930113633/http://elgu2.ncc.gov.ph/buhi/index.php?id1=21&id2=1&id3=0 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |website=lgu2.ncc.gov.ph}}