Tonle Sap

Great Lake (Tonle Sap) is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Cambodians call the sap freshwater seas because of the vast scope of the lake. Sap natural reservoirs and fish habitat important for the people of Cambodia.

In the dry season, the lake is relatively small approximately 2,700 km. 2 and a depth of about 1 meters. In the rainy season, the Mekong River reflux up the Tonle Sap came the sap makes the lake has a size of up to 16,000 km. 2 and a depth of up to 9 meters. Sap expand its scope in the rainy waters into the antithesis of the surrounding area preirneam create favorable conditions for spawning fish. The factors which make the sap becoming the largest source of freshwater fish in the world. Sap subsistence population of over 3 million freshwater fish, 75% of the total freshwater fish production in the country. At the end of the rainy season, the water receded when full grown fish shape, and when the fishing season begins across the country.

Local observers are worried about the rapid growth of sediment flowing into the lake every year. But long-term study about sediment claimed that increased sediment at a rate of 0.1 to 0.16. 1 this year, no serious threat to the lake. Instead, these sediment plays an important role in the ecological system, providing nutritious preirneam.

Reverse currents flowing into and out of the sap conditions prevent flooding in the rainy season and water shortages in the dry season. In the rainy season, the sap 50% of the water that flows to irrigate Mekong Delta.