THE PAOAY LAKE

Paoay Lake (Paoay, Ilocos Norte)

The lake area is characterized of interbedded sandstone and silty shale with limestone. Sand dunes and sandstones and sale are the rock components. Also available minerals are dental quartz and magnetite. There is no known waste or garbage deposits inside or beneath the lake that are threats to its resources and water quality.

The lake is a natural body of fresh water without tributary. It has a depth of about six (6.0) meters. The water source is from ground water flow and surface run-off from its surrounding hills. Aquatic plants can be seen along the shallow and muddy portions of the littoral zone,

Did you know that?

 According to such legendary account, Paoay Lake was formed as a punishment to the early settlers thereat who used to be immensely religious but turned wicked and preoccupied by material things later. Their wicked acts earned the ire of their gods, thus submerged the place , turning it into a body of water, while the people were made into fishes with their fancy adornments, such as jewelries, still attached with them. These stories say that, seated in Paoay Lake’s location was a group of three villages called Gumura, Siduma and Sintapuli. The first two villages were much like those communities, Sodom and Gumorrah, which according to the Holy Bible, were submerged in water as a form of punishment by God to the People who turned wicked.

      Other sources suggest that the lake was a result of gigantic geological displacement that hit the Ilocos area in January 1641. A shattering earthquake preceded by loud thunders and lightning, swallowed down the place, then burst back into the sky, thus left a body of water. Later studies theorized that Paoay Lake was formed geologically as a result of formation of the earth’s crust during the Miocene Epoch 2 million years ago.

How to see Paoay Lake:

Drive to N Luzon Expy. Drive from Subic - Clark - Tarlac Expy, Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expy, MacArthur Hwy andManila North Rd to Batac. Drive to your destination in Paoay. Continue to Currimao-Paoay-Suba-Balacao Rd

Source: 

DENR Paoay Lake Protected Landscape. http://r1.denr.gov.ph/index.php/86-region-news-items/179-paoay-lake-protected-landscape-in-ilocos-norte