Argentino Lake
Lago Argentino is a lake in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. It is the largest freshwater lake in Argentina, with a surface area of and a maximum width of. The lake's waters have an average depth of, with a maximum depth of. The deepest point of the lake is situated in the end of its narrow north-northwestern arm, in front of the retreating Upsala Glacier. This depth was discovered during a survey in 2001. The south-southwestern arm ends in front of the Perito Moreno Glacier. The glaciers debouche into the lake at these sites, making "trenches" in the bedrock. The lake reaches below mean sea level.
Lago Argentino lies within Los Glaciares National Park in a landscape accented by numerous glaciers, and the lakes of the area are fed by the glacial meltwater of several rivers. For example, the waters of Lake Viedma are fed by the La Leona River, and many other smaller mountain streams. Lago Argentino's drainage basin amounts to more than. Water from Lake Argentino flows into the Atlantic Ocean through the Santa Cruz River.
The glaciers, the nearby town of El Calafate, and the lake itself are all important tourist destinations with many hostels, hotels and other amenities catering to the outdoors located in the region. The lake in particular is appreciated for fishing. perch, common galaxias, lake trout and rainbow trout—in both anadromous and potamodromous forms—are all found.
Lago Argentino was also the name of the airport that served the area until 2000. This airport was closed and its runway incorporated into the city's road system. It has been replaced by Comandante Armando Tola International Airport, which serves the town of El Calafate and Lago Argentino with many national and international flights each day.
Flora and fauna
Lago Argentino and its surrounding terrain is home to numerous living organisms; as of 2024, the biodiversity database iNaturalist lists nearly 500 recorded plant and almost 400 animal species as being found in the area, as well as nearly 100 types of fungi and lichen.Birds
Around 150 species of birds have been documented in and around the lake. Many are endemic to the region, such as the roughly 50-60 species of wading birds and waterfowl; iconic amphibious species, like Andean and Chilean flamingos, as well as the black-headed duck, black-necked swan, cinnamon teal, crested duck, Coscoroba swan, kelp goose, silver teal, torrent duck and many others can be found here, as well as varied species of coot, cormorant, dotterel, gallinule, godwit, grebe, gull, knot, lapwing, oystercatcher, phalarope, plover, sandpiper, snipe, stilt, tern and yellowlegs.
Other birds include the famous Andean condor, Austral parakeet, Austral pygmy-owl, cinereous harrier, crested caracara, the flightless Darwin's rhea, lesser horned owl, Magellanic woodpecker, and the short-eared owl.
Fish
Puyen and perca, are two registered species of fish that live in the lake. Also present are introduced and non-native brown trout, chinook salmon, lake trout and rainbow trout.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Of the roughly 10-15 reptile species recorded in the vicinity of Lago Argentino, the majority of them are lizards of the generas Diplolaemus and Liolaemus, including several species of tree "iguanas", smooth-headed and smooth-throated lizards.
Anurans that inhabit the lake include Alsodes coppingeri, the Eden Harbour toad, the large four-eyed frog, Nibaldo's wood frog, and the Puerto Eden frog.