Water laps at the surface of the malecón in Jocotepec, Jalisco.
Water levels in Mexico’s largest lake have risen over two meters thanks to the rain brought by weather events, including Hurricane Willa.
In fact, the level of the water in Lake Chapala is the highest it has been in decades, according to water officials, who said on Sunday the lake is at 80.4% capacity. Two weeks ago it was at 77.5%; in July it was at just 51.1% capacity.
The Jalisco state water commission said the total volume of water in the lake is up to almost 6.4 billion cubic meters.
The replenishment surprised some in Jocotepec, where the water rose to the level of the San Cristóbal de Zapotitlán malecón, a rare occurrence.
Civil Protection officials said the promenade was closed as a preventative measure.
The late rainy season has been beneficial for the greater Lake Chapala basin, where the main reservoirs in the region report 100% capacity. The reservoirs release their surplus water into the lake, and as rains are expected to continue for several days, so will the recovery of Lake Chapala’s water level.
Source: Informador (sp), 20 minutos (sp)
