Xiji Earthquake Lake

Xiji Earthquake Lake

Xiji Earthquake Lake is situated in Dangjiacha Village, Zhenhu Township, around 32 kilometers southwest of Xiji County. It was created by the massive 8.5 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiyuan, Ningxia in 1920 and ranks as the second-largest earthquake lake in the world. The lake has an elongated shape. Its original water area was about 80 square kilometers. Currently, the lake is approximately 60 meters wide from east to west and about 3,110 meters long from north to south, covering a total surface area of 1.86 million square meters, with an average depth of about 12 meters and a maximum depth of 27 meters. Its water storage capacity is 11.2 million cubic meters.

Dangjiacha Barrier Lake is currently the largest earthquake-formed barrier lake on the plateau and the biggest of its kind in Ningxia. The lake is home to nearly 10 species of fish, including silver carp, common carp, grass carp, and even colorful crucian carp. Every spring, flocks of wild ducks migrate here to stay until the lake surface freezes, after which they reluctantly fly south for the winter. There are also nearly 10 species of wild birds such as great tits and owls. Among the few lakes within the barrier lake area, some are inhabited by vibrantly colored crucian carp — a phenomenon that remains a mystery in the scientific community.

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