Phoksundo Lake

{{short description|Lake in Nepal}}

{{Infobox lake

| name = Phoksundo Lake

| native_name = फोक्सुण्डो, pronounced {{IPA|ne|pʰoksuɳɖo|}}

| image = Panorama phoksumdo lake from camp.jpg

| image_bathymetry = Bathymetric_Map_of_Phoksundo_Lake.jpg

| caption_bathymetry = Bathymetric Map of Phoksundo Lake published by Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in 2019

| location = Dolpa District, Nepal

| coords = {{Coord|29|12|30|N|82|57|30|E|type:waterbody_region:NP|display =inline,title}}

| type =

| inflow =

| outflow = Suligad River

| catchment =

| basin_countries = Nepal

| length = {{cvt|5.64|km}}

| width = {{cvt|549.89-975.24|m}}

| area = {{cvt|485|ha|km2}}

| depth =

| max-depth = {{cvt|136.20|m}}

| volume = {{cvt|398.73|e6m3}}

| residence_time =

| shore= {{cvt|18295.26|m}}

| elevation= {{cvt|3589|m}}

| pushpin_map = Nepal

| pushpin_label_position = bottom

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Phoksundo Lake in Nepal.

| pushpin_map_caption =

| website =

| reference =

| embedded = {{Infobox mapframe |wikidata=yes |zoom=12 |coord={{WikidataCoord|display=i}}}} {{designation list | embed=yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_date = 23 September 2007 | designation1_number = 1694{{Cite web|title=Phoksundo Lake|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1694|access-date=25 April 2018}}

}}

}}

Phoksundo Lake is an alpine fresh water oligotrophic lake in Nepal's Shey Phoksundo National Park at an elevation of {{cvt|3611.5|m}} in the Dolpa District. Phoksundo Lake is {{cvt|494|ha|sqmi}} in size with a water volume of {{cvt|409000000|m3}} and a discharge of {{cvt|3.715|m3/s}}.{{cite book |author=Bhuju, U. R. |author2=Shakya, P. R. |author3=Basnet, T. B. |author4=Shrestha, S. |name-list-style=amp |year=2007 |title=Nepal Biodiversity Resource Book. Protected Areas, Ramsar Sites, and World Heritage Sites |publisher=International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, in cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific |location=Kathmandu |isbn=978-92-9115-033-5 |chapter=Makalu Barun National Park |pages=55–57 |url=https://lib.icimod.org/record/7560}} In 2004, a survey by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology measured the maximum depth of the lake at {{cvt|145|m}}.Nepalnews.com (2004). [https://web.archive.org/web/20040707070947/http://www.nepalnews.com.np/archive/2004/jul/arc_jul04_04.htm Rara is Nepal’s deepest lake: Survey] In 2019, another detailed survey was carried out by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, which measured the maximum depth of the lake at {{cvt|136.20|m}}.{{cite book |last1=Government of Nepal |first1=Department of Hydrology and Meteorology |title=Preparation of Bathymetric Map of Phoksundo Lake of Dolpa to Update its Inventory |date=July 2019 |publisher=Department of Hydrology and Meteorology |location=Kathmandu |url=http://www.dhm.gov.np/uploads/getdown/47935437Preparation%20of%20Bathymetric%20Map%20of%20Phoksundo%20Lake_Final%20Report.pdf |access-date=25 May 2020}}

In September 2007, Phoksundo Lake has been designated a Ramsar site.Bhandari, B. B. (2009). [http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/BANKO/article/view/2206 Wise use of Wetlands in Nepal]. Banko Janakari, Special Issue February 2009: 10–17.

On the lake' southern end, the village of Ringmo sits on the 30,000- to 40,000-year-old landslide dam that formed the lake.Weidinger, J. T. (2005). [http://www.cosis.net/abstracts/EGU05/04125/EGU05-J-04125.pdf Predesign, failure and displacement mechanisms of large rockslides in the Langthang-, Annapurna- and Kanjiroba Himalayas of Nepal]. Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 7, 04125, 2005 Past the dam, the waters of the lake plunge over a {{cvt|167|m}} tall waterfall.