Laguna del Indio - Dique de los Españoles. 28/10/03. Arequipa. 502 ha. 15°46´S 71°03'W. National Reserve. A natural high Andean seasonal pool at over 4440m in the Puna which became permanent with the building of a reservoir serving the water needs of the city of Arequipa and which is used for hydroelectric power generation downstream. Sharp water level fluctuations in the reservoir allow for peat bog plants such as Distichia muchoides to prosper on its shores. The Andean Goose Chloephaga melanoptera, which nests in peat bogs and grasses, and the Andean Duck Oxyura ferruginea have significant populations in the lake, while Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor and the Crested Duck Anas specularioides are also relatively numerous. The endangered vicuña is frequent in the surroundings, where local people also raise llamas and alpacas. Other human activities are trout fishing in the reservoir and egg picking from geese and ducks. The remnants of a colonial dyke used for irrigation are found in the site. The area is part of the National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca, for which a management plan was established in 2001. Ramsar Site No. 1318. Most recent RIS information: 2003.