Lake Chapala

"Lago de Chapala" redirects here. For the BRT station, see Lago de Chapala (Mexibús).

Lake Chapala
Lake Chapala Location within Jalisco Lake Chapala Location within Michoacán Lake Chapala Location within Mexico
Location	Jalisco / Michoacán, Mexico
Coordinates	20°15′N 103°00′W
Primary inflows	Río Lerma, Río Zula, Río Huaracha, Río Duero
Primary outflows	Río Grande de Santiago
Basin countries	Mexico
Max. length	80 km (50 mi)
Max. width	18 km (11 mi)
Surface area	1,100 km2 (420 sq mi)
Average depth	7 m (23 ft)
Max. depth	10.5 m (34 ft)
Water volume	8.1 km3 (1.9 cu mi)
Surface elevation	1,524 m (5,000 ft)
Islands	3
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Lago de Chapala
Designated	2 February 2009
Reference no.	1973

Lake Chapala from space, 1994

Lake Chapala (Spanish: Lago de Chapala, [tʃaˈpala] ^ⓘ) has been Mexico's largest freshwater lake since the desiccation of Lake Texcoco in the early 17th century.

It borders both the states of Jalisco and Michoacán, being located within the municipalities of Ocotlán, Chapala, Jocotepec, Poncitlán, and Jamay, in Jalisco, and in Venustiano Carranza and Cojumatlán de Régules, in Michoacán.