Lake Chapala is showing a dramatic dip as the dry season evaporation rate takes its toll. The water lapping on the shoreline in front of Chapala’s Malecon promenade has become so shallow that bathers can now easily wade out as far as the artificial island holding up the Jesus Pescador statue. The National Water Commission reports that the lake currently stands at 51 percent of its full capacity, compared to 68 percent one year ago. It has dropped slightly more than one meter in elevation and lost about 113 billion cubic meters in volume since reaching its 2011 high point last August. So far the surface area covered by water has decreased by 5,453 hectares. Although the shrinking figures are roughly comparable to those registered by late April 2011, the visible difference is chalked up to the lake’s modest recuperation of just 24 centimeters in level during last year’s unusually short rainy season. During the previous cycle Chapala regained 1.56 meters, with precipitation continuing into early October.
Lake Chapala is showing a dramatic dip as the dry season evaporation rate takes its toll. The water lapping on the shoreline in front of Chapala’s Malecon promenade has become so shallow that bathers can now easily wade out as far as the artificial island holding up the Jesus Pescador statue. The National Water Commission reports that the lake currently stands at 51 percent of its full capacity, compared to 68 percent one year ago. It has dropped slightly more than one meter in elevation and lost about 113 billion cubic meters in volume since reaching its 2011 high point last August. So far the surface area covered by water has decreased by 5,453 hectares. Although the shrinking figures are roughly comparable to those registered by late April 2011, the visible difference is chalked up to the lake’s modest recuperation of just 24 centimeters in level during last year’s unusually short rainy season. During the previous cycle Chapala regained 1.56 meters, with precipitation continuing into early October.