Lake Kutubu

Coordinates: 6°24′S 143°20′E / 6.400°S 143.333°E / -6.400; 143.333
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Lake Kutubu
Primary inflows
underground sources, several streams, largest is Hamua Creek
Primary outflowsSoro River
Catchment area250 km2 (97 sq mi)
Basin countriesPapua New Guinea
Max. length19 km (12 mi)
Max. width4.5 km (2.8 mi)
Surface area49.24 km2 (19.01 sq mi)
Max. depth70 m (230 ft)
Surface elevation808 m (2,651 ft)
Designated25 September 1998
Reference no.961[1]
Map
Map

Lake Kutubu is the second-largest lake in Papua New Guinea,[2] after Lake Murray, and, at 800 m above sea level,[2] the largest upland body of water,[3] with an area of 49.24 km²,[2] and a total catchment area of 250 km².[3] Lake Kutubu and Lake Sentani form an ecoregion on the WWF's Global 200.[4] Kutubu lies in the

capital. It is one of the few lakes in the country that occurs in a depression in the rugged interior mountains.[5]
The lake has a few islands, the largest of which is Wasemi in its northern part. The water of Lake Kutubu, fed by several streams originating mostly from underground sources,
Fasu to the north. Thirty-three villages lie in the catchment area, with a total estimated population of 10,885.[3]

The lake gave its name to the nearby

Oil Search Limited, and which began production in 1992.[6] The development has supported the local economy, and caused a general in-migration to the area, as well as ecological problems resulting from rapid population growth, including pollution, forest destruction and overfishing. A proposed gas pipeline and road are expected to exacerbate these problems unless they are well-managed.[3]

Fauna

Lake Kutubu includes 13

lacustrine habitat for fishes in the New Guinea-Australia region.[3] The endemic fish species are:[7][8]

Additionally, the Parastacid crayfish Cherax papuanus is endemic to the lake.[9]

Conservation

Because of its biodiversity and ecological significance, the area has been designated a "Wetland of International Significance" by the

World Wildlife Fund and the drafting of a catchment management plan has commenced, which is anticipated to become a model for other catchments in Papua New Guinea.[11] The project is to be completed by December 2007.[12] The Lake Kutubu area is also included in the tentatively listed Kikori River Basin - Great Papuan Plateau World Heritage Site.[10]

Languages

Trans-New Guinea
languages are spoken in the region.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Lake Kutubu". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e Lake Kutubu at Ramsar site
  3. ^ a b c d e Pilot and Demonstration Activities: Integrated Catchment Management in Lake Kutubu, Papua New Guinea at Asian Development Bank website
  4. ^ a b Lakes Kutubu and Sentani at WWF
  5. ^ Brian Essai. Papua and New Guinea: A Contemporary Survey. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1961. Page 21.
  6. ^ Kutubu Archived 2007-03-16 at the Wayback Machine on Oil Search Limited website
  7. ^ List taken from Lakes Kutubu and Sentani - A Global Ecoregion from the WWF, although it reports a figure of 11 species.
  8. ^ a b Polhemus, D.A., R.A. Englund, and G.R. Allen (2004). Freshwater Biotas of New Guinea and Nearby Islands: Analysis of Endemism. Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Conservation International
  9. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T153660A4528294.en
    .
  10. ^ a b Kikori River Basin - Great Papuan Plateau at World Heritage Sites tentative lists
  11. ^ Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Plan: Project Inception Report Archived 2007-06-24 at the Wayback Machine, page 3.
  12. ^ Lake Kutubu Catchment Management Plan: Project Inception Report Archived 2007-06-24 at the Wayback Machine, page 5

External links

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