| Lake Cote | |
| Type: | crater lake |
| Pushpin Map: | Costa Rica |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Costa Rica |
| Coordinates: | 10.5814°N -84.9117°W |
| Area: | 1.983km2 |
| Length: | 1km (01miles) |
| Max-Depth: | 18m (59feet) |
| Elevation: | 680m (2,230feet) |
Lake Cote (Spanish; Castilian: Lago Cote), originally known as Lake Cóter, is a fresh water crater lake located in the northern highlands of Costa Rica. It is currently the largest natural lake in Costa Rica at 1.98sqkm. Its depth varies between 6 and 18 meters.[1] [2]
Located in Cote district, Guatuso canton, of Alajuela province, between the Arenal Volcano and Tenorio Volcano. Nearby is located the largest lake in Costa Rica, Lake Arenal, of artificial origin.[3]
It is a crater lake of Maar type with a heart-like ovoid shape and a 1 km diameter. Average depth is of 6.30m and maximum depth is 18m at the center area.
It is the natural drainage of River Cote.
Average water temperature is around 21.9 °C and 27.9 °C.
The lake is used for tourism, subsistence fishing, hydropower electricity generation and as a conservation area. It is regarded as a sacred place by the local Maleku people.
On 4 September 1971, during an aerial survey by the National Geographic Institute of Costa Rica, what looks like a UFO was photographed over Lake Cote (see photo).[4]