Laguna Lejía
| Laguna Lejía | |
|---|---|
Laguna Lejía with the Lascar, Aguas Calientes and Acamarachi volcanoes in the background | |
| Location | Antofagasta Region |
| Coordinates | 23°30′00″S 67°41′33″W / 23.50000°S 67.69250°W |
| Catchment area | 193 km2 (75 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Chile |
| Surface area | 1.9 km2 (0.73 sq mi) |
| Surface elevation | 4,325 m (14,190 ft) |
| References | |
Laguna Lejía is a salt lake located in the Altiplano of the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. The landscape of the area is dominated by the volcanoes Chiliques, Lascar, Aguas Calientes and Acamarachi. It is shallow and has no outlet, covering a surface area of about 1.9 square kilometres (0.73 sq mi) in the present-day.
During glacial times, the lake was considerably larger owing to decreased evaporation and increased precipitation rates, with bioherms developing around the waterbody. Presently, flamingos and a number of microorganisms live in the lake.