Miguel Alemán Lake, body of water
Miguel Alemán Lake is a large reservoir in Oaxaca, Mexico, formed behind a dam on the Tonto River. It covers around 47,800 hectares and features hills rising around its shores, with islands scattered across its surface and calm water stretching far into the distance.
The lake was created in 1959 when the government completed a dam on the Tonto River to control devastating floods that regularly struck the region. The formation of the reservoir displaced about 22,000 Mazatec people who had to leave their ancestral lands to make room for the new water body.
The lake is named after a Mexican president and shapes daily life in nearby communities. Local people, including many Mazatecs, have tied their identity to fishing and the water, which you can see in how fishermen work and how families depend on the lake.
The lake is best accessed from nearby towns like San Miguel Soyaltepec, San Pedro Ixcatlán, and Cerro Quemado, where boat tours and fishing trips can be arranged. Plan for a half or full day to explore the shoreline or take a boat ride, and bring water and sun protection, as the sun is strong in this region.
The lake is one of Mexico's largest artificial reservoirs, holding over 6.7 cubic kilometers of water behind its 76-meter-high dam. It is also known for spontaneous boat races that mainly happen in May, when locals display their speed and skills on the water.
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