Lake Xochimilco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Xochimilco |
|
|---|---|
 Lake Xochimilco
Location in Mexico
|
|
| Location | Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico |
| Coordinates | 19°17′06″N 99°06′07″W / 19.285°N 99.102°W |
| Type | endorheic lake |
Lake Xochimilco ( Nahuatl languages: Xōchimīlco ) is an old lake located in the Xochimilco area of southern Mexico City. It is famous for being the last natural home of the axolotl, a special type of salamander.
This lake is part of the Valley of Mexico's water system, right in the middle of Mexico.
Contents
The Lake's History
How the Lake Formed
Lake Xochimilco is one of several historic lakes in the area. These included:
- Lake Texcoco — salty water
- Lake Zumpango
- Lake Xaltocan
- Lake Chalco — fresh water
Long, long ago, Lake Xochimilco was part of a much bigger lake called Lake Texcoco. This was during the last ice age. As the climate in central Mexico got warmer, the snow and ice that fed Lake Texcoco melted away. This caused the huge lake to shrink a lot over thousands of years.
About 2,000 years ago, Xochimilco became a bay in the southern part of Lake Texcoco. Later, around the 13th or 14th century, the Aztecs built large raised roads called causeways. These causeways helped create a new, separate lake.
Ancient Cultures and Farming
These lakes were home to many ancient cultures, like the Teotihuacanos, the Toltecs, and the Aztecs.
Because its waters were shallow and had fresh springs along its southern shore, Lake Xochimilco was a key place for a special type of farming. This farming used floating gardens called chinampas. This method was very important for centuries before Europeans arrived.
The rich farming land made the region a target for the expanding Aztec empire. The Aztecs took control of the lake in a series of battles between 1432 and 1440. This happened when Itzcóatl was the Aztec ruler, known as Hueyi Tlatoani.
After the Spanish Arrived
After the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in 1521, they destroyed the dams and water gates. This, along with a big drop in the local population, led to the chinampa gardens being almost completely abandoned.
What the Lake is Like Today
Most of the five lakes in the Valley of Mexico have now disappeared. They were drained to prevent floods. Only the canals of Xochimilco remain from the original Lake Xochimilco. Farmers, called Chinamperos, still work their chinampa gardens between these canals.
The remaining parts of Lake Xochimilco are now part of large urban parks in Mexico City. People can enjoy water activities and land recreation here. Brightly colored trajineras (rafts) take groups of people on fun trips along the remaining canals.
The Xochimilco Ecological Park and Plant Market was created as a nature reserve and park. It is the biggest park in Mexico City after Chapultepec. There is also a very large plant market, about 13 hectares (32 acres) in size, called the Xochimilco/Cuemanco Plant Market. It is the largest in Latin America and is built on chinampa land.
Protecting the Lake
The Mexican government declared the area a biological reserve in 1984. It then became a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987. This means it is a place of special importance to the world.
Lake Xochimilco is the last natural home for the axolotl. This is a type of mole salamander that lives only in Mexico. Before Lake Chalco was drained, axolotls also lived there.
Today, Lake Xochimilco is much smaller and has been affected by Mexico City's growth. Because of this, the axolotl is now listed as a critically endangered species by the IUCN. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
Google Doodle Game
On May 20, 2023, Google celebrated Lake Xochimilco with a special Google Doodle. This doodle was a game where players could look for axolotls in the lake and take their pictures. The goal was to find and photograph five different types of axolotls during the game.
See also
In Spanish: Lago de Xochimilco para niños
- Bosque de Nativitas Park, Xochimilco
