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| Laguna Chaxa | |
|---|---|
| Name | Laguna Chaxa |
| Caption | Flamingos at a salt flat lagoon |
| Location | Salar de Atacama, Antofagasta Region, Chile |
| Type | saline lagoon |
| Basin countries | Chile |
Laguna Chaxa is a saline lagoon located within the Salar de Atacama in the Antofagasta Region of northern Chile. Situated on the Altiplano at high elevation near the town of San Pedro de Atacama, the lagoon is part of a network of shallow saline wetlands important for Andean biodiversity, salt extraction industries, and regional tourism. The site lies within the administrative boundaries of Tocopilla Province and is proximate to archaeological sites associated with the Atacameño people and routes used since the Inca Empire.
Laguna Chaxa occupies a shallow basin on the western margin of the Salar de Atacama salt flat, bordered by salt crusts and evaporite pans. The lagoon sits near the route connecting San Pedro de Atacama to the highway toward Copo, with visibility from viewpoints near the Carretera B-245. Surrounding landforms include volcanic massifs such as Licancabur, Cerro Toco, and the Cordillera de Domeyko, and geomorphology influenced by tectonics of the Andes and the nearby Atacama Fault System. Local settlements and ranching estancias such as those historically occupied by the Likan Antai contribute to patterns of land use around the lagoon. The region's climate is categorized within maps like those of the Chilean Meteorological Service and has been the subject of studies by institutions including the University of Chile, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and international teams from the Smithsonian Institution.
Hydrology of the lagoon is controlled by subterranean inflows, episodic surface runoff from ephemeral streams, and direct precipitation influenced by the Bolivian high and South Pacific Anticyclone. Evaporation rates are high due to strong solar radiation measured by instruments from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the European Space Agency, leading to the concentration of salts dominated by sodium, chloride, sulfate, and lithium-bearing brines also exploited by companies such as SQM and Albemarle Corporation. Seasonal hydrological variation has been monitored in projects involving the Chilean Ministry of Environment and research programs at the University of Concepción. Groundwater-surface water interactions have been modeled using methods from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and data compared with other saline systems like Laguna Colorada and Salar de Uyuni.
The lagoon supports key Andean wetland biodiversity, notably large flocks of flamingos, including species recorded by ornithologists from the BirdLife International partnership and local NGOs such as Conaf and SOS Atacama. Resident and migratory birds documented at the site include populations studied in surveys by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds-affiliated researchers and regional birding guides from San Pedro de Atacama Birding Tours. Aquatic and microbial communities adapted to high salinity have been subjects of microbiological research at laboratories of the Smith College, University of Antofagasta, and the Max Planck Institute; extremophile studies relate to astrobiology programs at the European Southern Observatory and the SETI Institute. Vegetation communities in the lagoon fringe show salt-tolerant species catalogued by botanists from the Missouri Botanical Garden and publications in journals from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Predatory birds and mammals in the broader landscape documented by conservationists include species monitored by the WWF and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Human activities around the lagoon include birdwatching, photography, and guided tours operated by local tour companies and cooperatives from San Pedro de Atacama and stakeholders linked to the Atacama Tourism Board. The lagoon is visible from routes used on excursions that often visit multiple salt lagoons and geological attractions such as Valle de la Luna and Laguna Miscanti. Nearby economic activities include artisanal salt harvesting and industrial brine extraction by firms registered with the Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustibles and companies linked to the Antofagasta PLC supply chain. Cultural tourism highlights indigenous heritage presented by community associations of the Likan Antai and museums in Calama and Antofagasta. Research and educational visits are organized by universities such as the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Oxford as part of field courses in geology and ecology.
Conservation of the lagoon falls under regional planning frameworks administered by the Chilean Ministry of the Environment and protected-area policies influenced by organizations including CONAF and the World Wildlife Fund. Management challenges involve balancing water extraction permits overseen by the Dirección General de Aguas with biodiversity targets set in coordination with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and local municipality plans from Tocopilla and San Pedro de Atacama. Scientific monitoring programs have involved partnerships with the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research and international funders such as the Global Environment Facility. Community-based initiatives driven by indigenous councils and NGOs like Fundación Atacama contribute to visitor management, ecological restoration pilots, and environmental education campaigns supported by the Inter-American Development Bank.
Category:Wetlands of Chile Category:Geography of Antofagasta Region Category:Salt lakes of South America