A volcanic crater lake is a lake in a crater that was formed by explosive activity or a collapse during a volcanic eruption.
Lakes in calderas fill large craters formed by the collapse of a volcano during an eruption. Lakes in maars fill medium-sized craters where an eruption deposited debris around a vent.
Crater lakes form as the created depression, within the crater rim, is filled by water. The water may come from precipitation, groundwater circulation (often hydrothermal fluids in the case of volcanic craters) or melted ice. Its level rises until an equilibrium is reached between the rates of incoming and outgoing water. Sources of water loss singly or together may include evaporation, subsurface seepage, and, in places, surface leakage or overflow when the lake level reaches the lowest point on its rim. At such a saddle location, the upper portion of the lake is contained only by its adjacent natural volcanic dam; continued leakage through or surface outflow across the dam can erode its included material, thus lowering lake level until a new equilibrium of water flow, erosion, and rock resistance is established. If the volcanic dam portion erodes rapidly or fails catastrophically, the occurrence produces a breakout or outburst flood. With changes in environmental conditions over time, the occurrence of such floods is common to all natural dam types.
These lakes may become soda lakes, many of which are associated with active tectonic and volcanic zones.[1]
A well-known crater lake, which bears the same name as the geological feature, is Crater Lake in Oregon. It is located in the caldera of Mount Mazama. It is the deepest lake in the United States with a depth of 5940NaN0. Crater Lake is fed solely by falling rain and snow, with no inflow or outflow at the surface, and hence is one of the clearest lakes in the world.[2]
The highest volcano in the world, 6,893-m (22,615-ft) Ojos del Salado in Chile, has a permanent crater lake about 100-1NaN-1 in diameter at an elevation of 63900NaN0 on its eastern side.[3] This is most likely the highest lake of any kind in the world.
Due to their unstable environments, some crater lakes exist only intermittently. Caldera lakes in contrast can be quite large and long-lasting. For instance, Lake Toba (Indonesia) formed after its eruption around 75,000 years ago. At around 100km (100miles) by 30km (20miles) in extent and 505m (1,657feet) deep at its deepest point, Lake Toba is the largest crater lake in the world.[4]
While many crater lakes are picturesque, they can also be deadly.[5] Gas discharges from Lake Nyos in Cameroon suffocated 1,800 people in 1986,[6] and crater lakes such as Mount Ruapehu's (New Zealand) often contribute to destructive lahars.
See main article: Volcanogenic lake. Certain bodies of water, although their formation is directly related to volcanic activity, are not usually referred to as crater lakes, including:
| Lake | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Waw an Namus (three small salt lakes in the caldera) | Libya | |
| Sudan | ||
| Meme River Basin lakes (Lake Barombi Koto, Lake Barombi Mbo, Lake Mboandong and Lake Dissoni/Soden) | Cameroon | |
| Lake Nachtiga (between Mount Cameroon and the Atlantic coast) | Cameroon | |
| Bakossi Mountains Lake Bermin and Mount Manengouba lakes (lac Mâle and lac Femelle) | Cameroon | |
| Adamawa crater lakes (Tison, Mbalang) | Cameroon | |
| Oku Volcanic Field, including Lake Nyos, Lake Oku, Lake Monoun, Mount Mbapit crater lake, Lake Awing and the Bambili lakes | Cameroon | |
| Dallol (various acid ponds) | Ethiopia | |
| Zengena Lake | Ethiopia | |
| Enyo Lake (or Haro Dandii, a lake filling a double crater caldera on Mount Dendi) and Lake Wonchi[7] (Badda Rogghie Mountains) | Ethiopia | |
| Debre Zeyit crater lakes (Bishoftu, Hora, Bishoftu Guda, Koriftu and seasonal Cheleklaka) | Ethiopia | |
| Lake Dembel, Mount Zuqualla | Ethiopia | |
| Lake Ara Shetan (Butajiri-Silti Volcanic Field) | Ethiopia | |
| O'a Caldera, with Lake Shala and the smaller Chitu water-filled maar | Ethiopia | |
| Bilate River Volcanic Field (several water-filled maars) | Ethiopia | |
| Ethiopia | ||
| Equatorial Guinea | ||
| Equatorial Guinea | ||
| Djibouti | ||
| Kabarole District lakes (including lakes Nyinabulitwa, Nyabikere, Nkuruba, Kifuruka) | Uganda | |
| Many crater lakes in the Katwe-Kikorongo and Bunyaruguru (or Kichwambe) volcanic fields, respectively on the North and South sides of the Kazinga Channel (including Lake Katwe in the Queen Elizabeth National Park) | Uganda | |
| Muhavura (small crater lake) | Rwanda / Uganda | |
| Rwanda / Democratic Republic of Congo | ||
| Crocodile Lake, Flamingo Lake, Tilapia Lake, on Central Island (Lake Turkana) | Kenya | |
| Mount Marsabit (at least two lakes) | Kenya | |
| Emuruangogolak (several maar lakes) | Kenya | |
| Kenya | ||
| Lake Sonachi (Crater Lake Game Sanctuary) | Kenya | |
| Kenya / Tanzania | ||
| Southern Highlands crater lakes (Lake Ngozi, Kiungululu Crater, Masoko Crater) | Tanzania | |
| Lakes Magadi and Empakaai (Ngorongoro Conservation Area) | Tanzania | |
| Comoros | ||
| Mayotte | ||
| Madagascar | ||
| Nosy Be crater lakes | Madagascar | |
| Itasy crater lakes (close to the larger Lake Itasy) | Madagascar | |
| Mauritius | ||
| Ganga Talao lake | Mauritius | |
| Piton de l'Eau | Réunion | |
| Lagoa do Fanal | Portugal, Madeira | |
| Spain, Canary Islands | ||
| Cape Verde | ||
| Queen Mary's Peak (heart-shaped crater lake) | Tristan da Cunha |
| Lake | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Deception Island maare | Off the Antarctic Peninsula coast | |
| South Sandwich Islands | ||
| Prince Edward Islands | ||
| Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Islands | ||
| Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Islands | ||
| Crozet Islands |
| Lake | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Lake Asam (Suwoh Caldera) | Indonesia, Sumatra | |
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Mount Talang (Talang and Dibawah Lakes) | Indonesia, Sumatra | |
| Mount Singgalang (Dewi and Kumbang Lakes) | Indonesia, Sumatra | |
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Sumatra | ||
| Indonesia, Java | ||
| Indonesia, Java | ||
| Mount Lamongan (several maare) | Indonesia, Java | |
| Kelut (no crater lake anymore after 2007–2008 slow eruptions with hot lava dome, but in 2014 eruption lava dome is thrown away and in rainy season, the crater is initial fill with water) | Indonesia, Java | |
| Lake Ngebel, Gunung Wilis | Indonesia, Java | |
| Indonesia, Java | ||
| Indonesia, Java | ||
| Tengger caldeira (several maar lakes on Semeru summit, seasonnal lake in Bromo crater) | Indonesia, Java | |
| The Triangle of Lakes (Ranu Klakah, Ranu Bedali, Ranu Pakis) | Indonesia, Java | |
| Indonesia, Java | ||
| Merdodo (Dieng Volcanic Complex) | Indonesia, Java | |
| Telaga Warna (Dieng Volcanic Complex) | Indonesia, Java | |
| Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands | ||
| Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands | ||
| Tambora (ephemeral lake), Sumbawa | Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands | |
| Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands | ||
| Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands | ||
| Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands | ||
| Indonesia, Lesser Sunda Islands | ||
| Indonesia, Sulawesi | ||
| Indonesia, Sulawesi | ||
| Indonesia, Sulawesi | ||
| Indonesia, Sulawesi | ||
| Indonesia, Maluku Islands | ||
| Mount Ibu (several small crater lakes), Halmahera | Indonesia, Maluku Islands | |
| Indonesia, Maluku Islands | ||
| Indonesia, Maluku Islands | ||
| Four crater lakes in the Lower Chindwin volcanic area, including Twin Taung | Burma (Myanmar) | |
| Cambodia | ||
| Laos | ||
| Vietnam | ||
| Khorgo Uul (at least two lakes) | Mongolia | |
| Chaihe scenic spot[9] near Zhalantun (several crater lakes in this volcanic area) | China, Inner Mongolia | |
| Longwanqun crater lakes | China, Jilin | |
| North Korea / China, Jilin | ||
| White Deer Lake (Baengnokdam), Mulyeongari-Oreum, Muljangori-Oreum | South Korea, Jeju Island | |
| Akan caldera lakes (Akan, Mashū, Kussharo) | Japan, Hokkaidō | |
| Japan, Hokkaidō | ||
| Japan, Hokkaidō | ||
| Japan, Hokkaidō | ||
| Japan, Honshū | ||
| Tazawa (deepest lake in Japan) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Mount Zaō (lake Okama) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Mount Kusatsu-Shirane (three lakes, including the acidic Yu-gama with sulfur rafts floating on its turquoise surface) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Izu-Tobu (Ippeki lake) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Japan, Honshū | ||
| Mount Hakone (Lake Ashi) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Naruko (Lake Katanuma) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Aizu-Bandai-san (various lakes) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Japan, Honshū | ||
| Mount Ontake (five crater lakes) | Japan, Honshū | |
| Japan, Honshū | ||
| Numazawa-numa lake | Japan, Honshū | |
| Japan, Honshū | ||
| Mount Aso (Naka-dake) | Japan, Kyūshū | |
| Satsuma Peninsula, Lake Ikeda and Lake Unagi-ike | Japan, Kyūshū | |
| Mount Kirishima lakes (including Mi-ike, Oonamino-ike, Rokkannonmi-ike, Byakushi-ike) | Japan, Kyūshū | |
| Japan, Kyūshū | ||
| Japan, Izu Islands | ||
| Japan, Ryukyu Islands | ||
| Philippines, Luzon | ||
| Taal Lake (caldera-filling) and the crater lake on its island's volcano | Philippines, Luzon | |
| Philippines, Luzon | ||
| Seven Lakes of San Pablo (Bunot, Calibato, Yambo, Pandin, Palakpakin, Muhikap, Sampaloc) | Philippines, Luzon | |
| Philippines, Luzon | ||
| Philippines, Visayas | ||
| Philippines, Visayas | ||
| Philippines, Visayas | ||
| Philippines, Mindanao | ||
| Philippines, Mindanao | ||
| Philippines, Mindanao | ||
| Philippines, Mindanao | ||
| Jolo Island, Lakes Seit, Panamao, Timpuak and Sani Crater | Philippines, Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago | |
| Russia, Yakutia | ||
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Lake Dalny, Uzon Caldera | Russia, Kamchatka | |
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Russia, Kamchatka | ||
| Russia, Kuril Islands | ||
| Onekotan Island (Kal'tsevoe Lake in the Tao-Rusyr Caldera and Nemo Lake/Caldera) | Russia, Kuril Islands | |
| Russia, Kuril Islands | ||
| Russia, Kuril Islands | ||
| Russia, Kuril Islands | ||
| Iturup Island lakes (Medvezhia, Chirip, Grozny Group, Bogatyr Ridge) | Russia, Kuril Islands | |
| Iran | ||
| Turkey | ||
| Meke Golu (Karapınar Field) | Turkey | |
| Lake Acıgöl (bitter lake), also called Lake Nar (pomegranate lake) | Turkey | |
| Turkey | ||
| Israel | ||
| Yemen | ||
| Zubayr Group Islands (crater lakes on Saba Island and on the new island formed during the 2011–2012 eruption) | Yemen |
| Lake | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Eifel volcanic field (where maare were originally described), including Laacher See and Daun maars | Germany | |
| Eyjafjallajökull (volcano) | Iceland | |
| Iceland | ||
| Askja (Öskjuvatn and Viti lakes) | Iceland | |
| Iceland | ||
| Iceland | ||
| Grímsvötn (subglacial lake in the caldera, now exposed following the 2011 eruption) | Iceland | |
| crater lakes in the Landmannalaugar area (Blahylur, Ljotipollur) | Iceland | |
| Chaîne des Puys (Gour de Tazenat, Lac Pavin, Lac de Servière, Lac Chauvet, Lac du Bouchet, Lac d'En-Haut) | France | |
| France | ||
| Lazio crater lakes (Albano, Bolsena, Bracciano, Martignano, Nemi, Vico, Mezzano) | Italy | |
| Lake Avernus (close to Phlegraean Fields) | Italy | |
| Lake Sfânta Ana, Ciomadul volcano | Romania | |
| Lakes of Monticchio (Lago di Monticchio Grande and Lago di Montichhio Piccolo, twin crater lakes) | Italy | |
| Italy | ||
| Lago Specchio di Venere (Venus Mirror Lake) or Bagno dell’Acqua (hydrothermal lake within a calderic depression) | Italy, Pantelleria | |
| seasonal maar lakes in the Provincia Volcánica de Calatrava (Hoya del Acebuche, Hoya de Cervera) | Spain | |
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Portugal, Azores | ||
| Mount Samsari (several small lakes in the caldera) | Georgia | |
| Armenia |
| Lake | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands | ||
| United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands | ||
| United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands | ||
| United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands | ||
| United States, Alaska, Aleutian Islands | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| Mount Martin (intermittent acidic lake) | United States, Alaska | |
| United States, Alaska | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| United States, Alaska | ||
| Fiftytwo Ridge (several crater lakes) | Canada, British Columbia | |
| United States, Washington | ||
| United States, Washington | ||
| United States, Oregon | ||
| United States, Oregon | ||
| Malheur Maar, Diamond Craters | United States, Oregon | |
| Newberry Volcano (twin crater lakes: Paulina Lake and East Lake) | United States, Oregon | |
| Teardrop Pool South Sister | United States, Oregon | |
| United States, Wyoming | ||
| United States, Nevada | ||
| United States, California | ||
| United States, California | ||
| United States, California | ||
| Shastina (three small crater lakes) | United States, California | |
| Zuni Salt Lake (maar) | United States, New Mexico | |
| Lago Los Espinos | Mexico, Michoacán | |
| La Alberca lake (also known as La Joya or Lago del Sangre) | Mexico, Guanajuato | |
| Nevado de Toluca (several lakes) | Mexico, State of Mexico | |
| Mexico, Puebla | ||
| Oriental Basin axalapazcos (maar lakes) | Mexico, Puebla / Tlaxcala / Veracruz | |
| Mexico, Nayarit | ||
| Mexico, Nayarit | ||
| Mexico, Chiapas | ||
| Central America & Caribbean | ||
| Guatemala | ||
| Guatemala | ||
| Guatemala | ||
| Guatemala | ||
| Laguna de Calderas (Pacaya) | Guatemala | |
| Guatemala | ||
| Guatemala | ||
| El Salvador | ||
| Laguna Verde (Apaneca) | El Salvador | |
| El Salvador | ||
| Tecapa volcano (Laguna de Alegría) | El Salvador | |
| Chanmico maar (at the foot of the San Salvador volcano) | El Salvador | |
| Santa Ana Volcano crater lake | El Salvador | |
| Cosigüina | Nicaragua | |
| Laguna Asososca, Las Pilas | Nicaragua | |
| Lakes within the Monte Galan caldera, close to the Momotombo (Laguna Monte Galan, La Sulfatosa, Agua Dulce, El Cachital, Las Piedras) | Nicaragua | |
| Chiltepe peninsula (Apoyeque and Xiloá lagoons) | Nicaragua | |
| Managua lagoons (Tiscapa, Asososca, Nejapa) | Nicaragua | |
| Masaya lake | Nicaragua | |
| Nicaragua | ||
| Zapatera Laguna (Zapatera Island, on Lake Nicaragua) | Nicaragua | |
| Maderas (Ometepe Island, on Lake Nicaragua) | Nicaragua | |
| Costa Rica | ||
| Costa Rica | ||
| Costa Rica | ||
| Costa Rica | ||
| Costa Rica | ||
| Poás volcano (Laguna Caliente and Laguna Botos) | Costa Rica | |
| Costa Rica | ||
| Costa Rica | ||
| Lake Diego de la Haya, Irazú volcano | Costa Rica | |
| Mount Liamuiga crater lake, Saint Kitts | Saint Kitts and Nevis | |
| La Grande Soufrière (la Citerne) | Guadeloupe | |
| Boiling Lake (Morne Trois Pitons National Park) | Dominica | |
| Saint Vincent | ||
| Grand Etang Lake | Grenada | |
| Grenada | ||
| Lake | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand, North Island | ||
| New Zealand, North Island | ||
| Lakes of Rotorua, including Rotorua, Tarawera, Rotomahana, Rotokakahi, Tikitapu, Okareka and Okataina and smaller lakes from the Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley (Inferno Crater Lake, Frying Pan Lake, Southern Crater Lake) | New Zealand, North Island | |
| New Zealand, North Island | ||
| New Zealand, North Island | ||
| Mount Tongariro (Tama Lakes, Blue Lake and the Emerald Lakes) | New Zealand, North Island | |
| Whakaari / White Island (Bay of Plenty), Crater Lake | New Zealand, off North Island coast | |
| New Zealand, off North Island coast | ||
| Raoul Island (Blue Lake, Green Lake, Rui Lake) | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | |
| Victory Volcano crater lake | Papua New Guinea, New Guinea | |
| Papua New Guinea, off New Guinea coast | ||
| Mount Balbi lake | Papua New Guinea, Bougainville | |
| Papua New Guinea, Bougainville | ||
| Loloru (crescent-shaped crater lake) | Papua New Guinea, Bougainville | |
| Dakataua (horseshoe-shaped caldera lake) | Papua New Guinea, New Britain | |
| Papua New Guinea, off New Britain coast | ||
| Mount Gambier maar complex (including Blue Lake) | Australia, South Australia | |
| Atherton Tableland (Lake Euramoo, Lake Eacham, Lake Barrine, Mount Hypipamee Crater, Lynch's Crater, Bromfield Swamp) | Australia, Queensland | |
| Mount Le Brun (two intermittent crater lakes) | Australia, Queensland | |
| Leura maar complex (Purrumbete, Bullen Merri, Gnotuk, Keilambete, Elingamite, Wangoom, Red Rock intermittent lakes) | Australia, Victoria | |
| Australia, Victoria | ||
| Australia, Victoria | ||
| Green Lake,[10] Kapoho Crater, Kīlauea, Big Island, | USA, Hawaii | |
| Lake Waiau, crater of the Pu'u Waiau cinder cone, Mauna Kea, Big Island, | USA, Hawaii | |
| USA, Hawaii | ||
| USA, Hawaii | ||
| Rano Kau, Rano Raraku and Rano Aroi (Ma′unga Terevaka) | Chile, Easter Island | |
| Anatahan (intermittent lake in the caldera) | Northern Mariana Islands | |
| Solomon Islands | ||
| Samoa | ||
| Tonga | ||
| Tonga | ||
| Late (ephemeral lake) | Tonga | |
| Home Reef (newly formed island, crater lakes observed in 2006) | Tonga | |
| Wallis and Futuna | ||
| Lake Tagimaucia, Taveuni Island | Fiji | |
| Lake Letas, Gaua Island | Vanuatu | |
| Lombenben Volcano (lakes Vui, Manaro Ngoru, Manaro Lakua), Aoba Island | Vanuatu |
| Lake | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| Azufral (Laguna Verde, Laguna Negra, Laguna Cristal) | Colombia | |
| Colombia | ||
| Ecuador | ||
| Mojanda lakes (Caricocha, Yanacocha and Huarmicocha) | Ecuador | |
| Ecuador | ||
| Ecuador | ||
| Ecuador | ||
| Ecuador | ||
| La Cumbre, Fernandina Island (ephemeral lake) | Ecuador, Galapagos Islands | |
| Ecuador, Galapagos Islands | ||
| Ecuador, Galapagos Islands | ||
| Ecuador, Galapagos Islands | ||
| Santiago Island (small salt crater lake) | Ecuador, Galapagos Islands | |
| Jayu Quta (also known as Miguel y Alex Tejada or Maracanacito crater) | Bolivia | |
| Chile | ||
| Nevado Ojos del Salado (likely the highest lake in the world) | Chile | |
| Chile | ||
| Chaitén (crater lakes might have disappeared with the 2008–09 eruption) | Chile | |
| Chile | ||
| Chile | ||
| Chile / Argentina | ||
| Chile / Argentina | ||
| Laguna Potrok Aike (Pali-Aike Volcanic Field) | Argentina | |
| Argentina | ||
| Argentina |