Yamdrok Lake (also known as Yamdrok Yumtso or Yamzho Yumco; Tibetan: ཡར་འབྲོག་གཡུ་མཚོ་, Wylie: yar-'drog. G’yu-mtsho, ZYPY: Yamzhog Yumco; Chinese: 羊卓雍錯; pinyin: Yángzhuó Yōngcuò, Yángzhuō Yōngcuò) is a freshwater lake in Tibet. It is one of the three largest lakes in Tibet. It is over 72 km (45 mi) long. The lake is surrounded by many snow-capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams. The lake has an outlet stream at its far western end and means turquoise in English due to its color.[1]
Yamdrok Lake
Photographed from the Gampa pass (on the road between Lhasa and Gyantse)
Around 90 km (56 mi) to the west of the lake lies the Tibetan town of Gyantse and Lhasa is 100 km (62 mi) to the northeast. According to local mythology, Yamdok Yumtso lake is the transformation of a goddess.
The Yamdrok Hydropower Station was completed and dedicated in 1996 near the small village of Baidi at the lake's western end. This power station is the largest in Tibet.[2]
Yamdrok Lake (at the top) and Lake Puma Yumco from space, November 1997
The lake (638 km2 (246 sq mi) in area, 30 metres (98 ft) average depth and 60 metres (200 ft) at its deepest) is fan-shaped, spreading to the south but narrowing up to the north. The mountainous lakeshore is highly crenellated, with numerous bays and inlets. Lake Yamdrok freezes in winter.
Yamdrok Lake has a cold steppe climate (BSk) with long, cold, very dry winters and short, cool, wet summers. It is also bordering on an alpine tundra climate (ET) and on a subarctic climate (Dwc). The differences between day and night are great.
Yamdrok Lake in summerA view of the serene Yamdrok Lake with a yak in the foreground[3]
Like mountains, lakes are considered sacred by Tibetan people, the principle being that they are the dwelling places of protective deities and therefore invested with special spiritual powers. Yamdrok Lake is one of four particularly holy lakes, thought to be divinatory; everyone from the Dalai Lama to local villagers makes pilgrimages there. It is considered sacred as one of the four "Great Wrathful Lakes" guarded by the goddess Dorje Gegkyi Tso.[2] The others such lakes are Lhamo La-tso, Namtso and Manasarovar. The lake is revered as a talisman and is said to be part of the life-spirit of Tibet. The largest lake in southern Tibet, it is said that if its waters dry, Tibet will no longer be habitable.
The lake, its islands, and the surrounding area are closely associated with Padmasambhava, the Second Buddha, who brought Buddhism to Tibet in eighth century AD.[2] The lake is home to the famous Samding Monastery which is on a peninsula jutting into the lake. This monastery is the only Tibetan monastery to be headed by a female re-incarnation. Since it is not a nunnery, its abbess heads a community of about thirty monks and nuns. Samding Monastery is where Samding Dorje Phagmo, the most important female incarnate Lama in Tibet, stayed and presided, and stands to the south of Lake Yamdrok Yumtso.[4]
Today, both pilgrims and tourists can be seen walking along the lake's perimeter. One of the lake's islands contains an old fort or castle called Pede Dzong.
There are shoals of fish living in Yamdrok Lake, which are commercially exploited by local population. From April to October, fish caught from this lake are sold at markets in Lhasa, Tibet's capital.
Additionally, the lake's islands serve as rich pasture land to local herdsmen.
Referencesedit
^"Guide to Tibet - Things to do, Places to visit and Practicalities". 14 June 2017.
^ abcPetra Seibert and Lorne Stockman. . Archived from the original on 2007-08-05. Retrieved 2007-06-29.
^"Guide to Tibet - Things to do, Place to visit, Practicalities". 14 June 2017.
Diary of Yamdrok Tso Hydroelectric Project The Government of Tibet in Exile
Chris Travel Blog Tibet Yamdrok Lake Experience
January 01, 1970
yamdrok, lake, also, known, yamdrok, yumtso, yamzho, yumco, tibetan, ཡར, འབ, གཡ, མཚ, wylie, drog, mtsho, zypy, yamzhog, yumco, chinese, 羊卓雍錯, pinyin, yángzhuó, yōngcuò, yángzhuō, yōngcuò, freshwater, lake, tibet, three, largest, lakes, tibet, over, long, lake,. Yamdrok Lake also known as Yamdrok Yumtso or Yamzho Yumco Tibetan ཡར འབ ག གཡ མཚ Wylie yar drog G yu mtsho ZYPY Yamzhog Yumco Chinese 羊卓雍錯 pinyin Yangzhuo Yōngcuo Yangzhuō Yōngcuo is a freshwater lake in Tibet It is one of the three largest lakes in Tibet It is over 72 km 45 mi long The lake is surrounded by many snow capped mountains and is fed by numerous small streams The lake has an outlet stream at its far western end and means turquoise in English due to its color 1 Yamdrok LakePhotographed from the Gampa pass on the road between Lhasa and Gyantse Yamdrok LakeCoordinates28 56 N 90 41 E 28 933 N 90 683 E 28 933 90 683Basin countriesChinaMax length72 km 45 mi Surface area638 km2 246 sq mi Average depth30 m 98 ft Max depth60 m 200 ft Surface elevation4 441 m 14 570 ft Yamdrok Lake Around 90 km 56 mi to the west of the lake lies the Tibetan town of Gyantse and Lhasa is 100 km 62 mi to the northeast According to local mythology Yamdok Yumtso lake is the transformation of a goddess The Yamdrok Hydropower Station was completed and dedicated in 1996 near the small village of Baidi at the lake s western end This power station is the largest in Tibet 2 Contents 1 Physical data 2 Climate 3 Cultural significance 4 Economic significance 5 References 6 External linksPhysical data editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message nbsp Yamdrok Lake at the top and Lake Puma Yumco from space November 1997 The lake 638 km2 246 sq mi in area 30 metres 98 ft average depth and 60 metres 200 ft at its deepest is fan shaped spreading to the south but narrowing up to the north The mountainous lakeshore is highly crenellated with numerous bays and inlets Lake Yamdrok freezes in winter Climate editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message Yamdrok Lake has a cold steppe climate BSk with long cold very dry winters and short cool wet summers It is also bordering on an alpine tundra climate ET and on a subarctic climate Dwc The differences between day and night are great Climate data for Yamdrok Lake Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean daily maximum C F 1 9 35 4 3 4 38 1 5 8 42 4 9 5 49 1 13 1 55 6 16 6 61 9 16 1 61 0 15 2 59 4 13 9 57 0 10 2 50 4 6 1 43 0 3 3 37 9 9 6 49 3 Daily mean C F 7 4 18 7 5 2 22 6 2 0 28 4 2 1 35 8 6 2 43 2 10 3 50 5 10 6 51 1 9 8 49 6 8 1 46 6 2 8 37 0 2 6 27 3 6 0 21 2 2 2 36 0 Mean daily minimum C F 16 7 1 9 13 8 7 2 9 8 14 4 5 2 22 6 0 7 30 7 4 0 39 2 5 1 41 2 4 5 40 1 2 3 36 1 4 6 23 7 11 3 11 7 15 3 4 5 5 1 22 8 Average precipitation mm inches 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 4 0 2 12 0 5 39 1 5 82 3 2 83 3 3 37 1 5 7 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 267 10 6 Source Climate Data orgCultural significance edit nbsp Yamdrok Lake in summer nbsp A view of the serene Yamdrok Lake with a yak in the foreground 3 Like mountains lakes are considered sacred by Tibetan people the principle being that they are the dwelling places of protective deities and therefore invested with special spiritual powers Yamdrok Lake is one of four particularly holy lakes thought to be divinatory everyone from the Dalai Lama to local villagers makes pilgrimages there It is considered sacred as one of the four Great Wrathful Lakes guarded by the goddess Dorje Gegkyi Tso 2 The others such lakes are Lhamo La tso Namtso and Manasarovar The lake is revered as a talisman and is said to be part of the life spirit of Tibet The largest lake in southern Tibet it is said that if its waters dry Tibet will no longer be habitable The lake its islands and the surrounding area are closely associated with Padmasambhava the Second Buddha who brought Buddhism to Tibet in eighth century AD 2 The lake is home to the famous Samding Monastery which is on a peninsula jutting into the lake This monastery is the only Tibetan monastery to be headed by a female re incarnation Since it is not a nunnery its abbess heads a community of about thirty monks and nuns Samding Monastery is where Samding Dorje Phagmo the most important female incarnate Lama in Tibet stayed and presided and stands to the south of Lake Yamdrok Yumtso 4 Today both pilgrims and tourists can be seen walking along the lake s perimeter One of the lake s islands contains an old fort or castle called Pede Dzong Economic significance editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed March 2022 Learn how and when to remove this message There are shoals of fish living in Yamdrok Lake which are commercially exploited by local population From April to October fish caught from this lake are sold at markets in Lhasa Tibet s capital Additionally the lake s islands serve as rich pasture land to local herdsmen References edit Guide to Tibet Things to do Places to visit and Practicalities 14 June 2017 a b c Petra Seibert and Lorne Stockman The Yamdrok Tso Hydropower Plant in Tibet A Multi facetted and Highly Controversial Project Archived from the original on 2007 08 05 Retrieved 2007 06 29 Guide to Tibet Things to do Place to visit Practicalities 14 June 2017 Lake Yamdrok Yumtso Archived from the original on 2008 07 09 External links editYamdrok Tso Campaign Pack Death of a Sacred Lake TWS Campaign for Endangered Tibet National Aeronautics and Space Administration Diary of Yamdrok Tso Hydroelectric Project The Government of Tibet in Exile Chris Travel Blog Tibet Yamdrok Lake Experience Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yamdrok Lake amp oldid 1209423913, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
