Lake Argentino

Lake Argentino in Patagonia drops to a maximum depth of 719 m, ranking as the largest freshwater lake situated entirely within Argentina. Located within Los Glaciares National Park in southwestern Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Lake Argentino (Lago Argentino) is the largest freshwater lake situated entirely in Argentina and the seventh-deepest lake globally, descending to 719 m. Covering a surface area of 1,466 km2 at an elevation of 178 m above sea level, the lake consists of an expansive eastern body and several long, narrow glacial branches extending westward into the Andes Mountains. Discovered by explorer Francisco Pascasio Moreno in 1877, who named it in honor of his nation, the lake receives ice and meltwater from major glaciers descending from the Southern Patagonian Icefield. These include the famous Perito Moreno Glacier, Upsala Glacier, and Spegazzini Glacier. The Perito Moreno Glacier regularly advances across the lake's Canal de los Témpanos, creating a natural ice dam that separates the Brazo Rico arm until water pressure causes a dramatic cyclical rupture.