Lake Atitlan is located in the highlands of Guatemala.  Described as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, the lake’s ecology has undergone dramatic alteration due to increasing pollution. In December 2008, the lake underwent a dramatic regime shift when a large cyanobacterial algal bloom occurred. The news about the bloom spread quickly with local residents concerned about the clarity, ecology, and “health” of the lake. There has been very little limnological research at the lake with a shortage of information to understand the mechanisms contributing to the lake’s alteration. In April 2009, a team of international researchers arrived at Lake Atitlan to work with their Guatemalan counterparts to initiate a collaboration to understand lake processes and conserve the lake and assist the residents of Guatemala in understanding why the lake was changing.  This project resulted from those initial investigations and trainings.

The main objectives of this program will address detrimental environmental and man-made impacts on Lake Atitlán through:

Promotion and strengthening of existing monitoring/ research programs and development of a long-term, scientifically based monitoring framework across the watershed (lake, river, land, atmosphere).

Compilation and quality control of existing lake and river data and place this information into a database available to all parties working to conserve Lake Atitlán.

Creation of infrastructure in Guatemalan institutions through the purchase of modern laboratory and field instrumentation that can be deployed and maintained by Guatemalan institutions in the future.

Training of young Guatemalan scientists in the proper use of this instrumentation, data analysis, and sharing information with policy makers through public-friendly reports and presentations to implement programs that will restore Lake Atitlán.

Development and implementation of a communication and sustainability strategy for this initiative that can jointly contribute to the economic development of the Lake Atitlán Watershed.

Reports, proposals, and preliminary data:

1. • Chandra S., E. Rejmankova, M. Dix, and M Arevalo. Proposal to enhance scientific capacity at Guatemalan institutions for long-term monitoring and restoration efforts at Lake Atitlan.  Unsolicited proposal submitted to US AID.
   

2. • Roegner A., S Chandra, & E. Rejmankova. 2010. Cyanotoxin analysis of Lake Atitilan waters from November 2009 to August 2010. Submitted to Amigos del Lago.
   

3. • Rejmankova E. and S. Chandra. 2010. Preliminary findings of expedition Atitlan April 10-24 2010. Amigos del Lago and Project Partners.
   

4. • Rejmankova, E. 2010. Keeping Atitlan Blue: Coordination of Future Collaborative Research to Improve Water Quality at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala Final Report. National Science Foundation. Project number 0940796.
   

5. • Villavicencio H., M. Orozco, K. Boca Negra, V.Ramirez, D. Cabrera. 2010. Nuestra Estudia en EEUU. Student presentation to Amigos del Lago Board of Directors. Guatemala City, Guatemala.
   

6. • Rejmankova E. October 2010. Water quality Summary Table.
   

7. • Corman J., and others. 2010. Cyanobacteria blooms and nutrient limitation in Lake Atitlan. Great Lakes of the World Conference. Incline Village, NV, USA.  
   

8. • Weiss C., 1971. Water quality investigation, Guatemala, Lake Atitlan 1968-1970.