Nahuel Huapi Lake 5.09

Nahuel Huapi Lake is a lake in the lake region of northern Patagonia between the provinces of Río Negro and Neuquén, in Argentina. The lake depression consists of several glacial valleys carved out along faults and Miocene valleys that were later dammed by moraines.Nahuel Huapi lake, located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park, has a surface of 529km2, rests over the sea level, and has a maximum measured depth of.The June 2011 eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex, in neighboring Chile, caused parts of the lake's surface to be blanketed in volcanic ash.During the Last Glacial Maximum of the Llanquihue glaciation the lake basin was wholly occupied by a glacier.EtymologyThe name of the lake derives from the toponym of its major island in Mapudungun (Mapuche language): "Island of the Jaguar (or Puma)", from nahuel, "puma (or jaguar)", and huapí, "island". There is, however, more to the word "Nahuel" - it can also signify "a man who by sorcery has been transformed to a puma" (or jaguar).