Covering an area of 2.3 square kilometers and located at an altitude of 380 meters above sea level, Kwan Phayao is one of the largest artificial lakes in entire Northern Thailand.
In fact, this lake is the largest fresh water habitat in the upper northern part of Thailand that provides livelihood for local people of the region. Situated on the southeastern banks of this lake is the beautiful and bustling town of Phayao.
Majority of the water coming into the Kwan Phayao is from the Nam Mae Ing. However, a smaller percentage of water also comes from the Mae Tam. Interestingly, Nam Mae Ing empties itself on the northern side and Mae Tam fills up at the southern end. However, the water inside the lake is never allowed to rise beyond a certain level. Sluice gates are used to control the water level and there is also a spillway so that the mean water depth is always maintained at 1.7 meters. Water from the lake is emptied in the east into the Mekong River via Nam Mae Lag.
Another interesting aspect of this lake is that the pH of the water varies between 6.0 and 9.1, thus making it highly conducive for the growth of almost thirty-six species of aquatic plants and twenty-two species of fish. In fact, Kwan Phayao is considered as the largest semi-natural wetlands in entire northern Thailand. Kwan Phayao Lake is also known to be a preferred destination for resident and migratory birds. Apart from these, the water in the lake is also an important source of municipal water supply.
The main aquatic plants in the lake are Najas graminea and Ceratophyllum demersum. 22 species of fish are recorded for the lake, most dominant are the artificially introduced Nile Tilapia (Tilapia nilolica) and the Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus). Also 47 bird species were found at the lake in a survey in 1982.
The lake was created in 1939 to improve irrigation in the area. It was added to the list of 61 most important wetland areas on August 1, 2000. There are currently plans to restore the ancient temple Wat Tilok Aram dating back to the end of the 15th century, which was submerged during the construction of the lake.
Present around the lake are some beautiful and picturesque locations, thus making Kwan Phayao a popular weekend destination for the locals of Phayao.
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