PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The Seismic Research Centre of the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI-SRC) says Dominica’s Boiling Lake is “ slowly refilling and the water temperature have ranged between 70° and 80° Celsius”.
The Boiling Lake is a volcano-hydrothermal feature located in an area next to the Valley of Desolation in southern Dominica. It is roughly 60 meters in diameter and approximately 15 meters deep.
The Boiling Lake is the second largest feature of its kind in the world with the largest being Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand.
In a statement earlier this week, the UWI-SRC said that water levels had changed significantly during the past few days, noting “this is a phenomenon that has occurred several times in the past but was first recorded in 1876”
It said changes in water levels at the lake were last observed in March 2024 and that the current state of the lake shows a large drop in water levels with steam emission from the main vent area now more clearly visible.
“The observed changes at the Boiling Lake are not currently considered to be an increase in volcanic activity in the area,” the UWI-SRC said, adding that the “the periods of instability that the lake have exhibited over the last 5 -10 years suggests a new pattern of behaviour has been established which consists of frequent cycles of instability.
“Caution should be exercised when visiting the area during such periods. During these episodes, harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, can be released. Also, steam explosions may occur since underlying vents that supply water to the lake which may have become blocked are cleared without warning,” the UWI-SRC added.
In its latest update in which it said that the lake was “slowly refilling” the UWI-SRC said the lake will be continuously monitored using the cameras at the location.
“The observed changes at the Boiling Lake are not currently considered to be an increase in volcanic activity in the area,” it added.
