Resource information
This study, policy and investment
priorities to reduce environmental degradation of the Lake
Nicaragua watershed, has assessed the sources and the
magnitude of the pressures that threaten Lake Cocibolca. It
was accomplished by applying a hydrological and land use
model to the lake's watershed and by conducting
additional estimates of nutrients generated from wastewater
sources and tilapia farming. The study has confirmed that
sediment loads are very high, and has estimated their
magnitude in each sub-watershed. The key results of the
study are the estimation of sedimentation levels in the
watershed and the identification of erosion hotspots. The
Lake Cocibolca watershed is a globally unique cradle of
biodiversity with major importance not only to the global
and local environment, but also to the 750,000 people living
within its boundaries. Several fish species are endemic to
the lake, and the watershed's location within the
Mesoamerican Biological Corridor has made it a meeting
ground for fish, bird and mammal species from North and
South America. Apart from its importance for fishing and
recreation industries, the lake is beginning to be used as a
source of water supply for some coastal towns; its role as a
source of drinking water may grow in the future. Lake
Cocibolca and its watershed are under pressure from multiple
sources but, in the absence of reliable monitoring
information, the extent of the environmental degradation is
unclear. Environmental deterioration in the watershed is
high on the government's agenda.
