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Lake Nicaragua
Lake Nicaragua, known to locals as Mar Dulce or Lago Cocibolca, is the largest lake in Central America. Although the lake is very large, it only reaches a maximum depth of about 84 feet. The lake sits at 105 feet above sea level and is connected to the Caribbean Sea by the San Juan River. The city of Granada lies on the shores of the lake.
Because of the San Juan River, Granada is an Atlantic port in spite of the fact that it is closer to the Pacific Ocean. Before the Panama Canal was built, there was much talk of constructing an inter-oceanic canal through Lake Nicaragua. The idea stills surfaces from time to time but the United States usually shuts it down, as it would create competition for the U.S.-controlled Panama Canal. A project called “Ecocanal” is discussed periodically.
Although it is a freshwater lake, Nicaragua contains sharks, swordfish and tarpon. The Lake Nicaragua Shark is a type of Bull Shark which is fully adapted to freshwater. It was once believed that the two were completely different species until Bull Sharks were spotted swimming upstream from the ocean into the lake. Based on geography, scientists believe that the lake used to be a large bay.
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