茈碧湖位于云南(nan)省大理(li)洱(er)源縣東北部,距洱(er)源縣城約3公(gong)里(li),距大理(li)以(yi)北73公(gong)里(li),距離劍川石寶山風景區(qu)以(yi)南(nan)58公(gong)里(li)。東、北靠(kao)山,西南(nan)連田(tian),南(nan)北狹長,是高原斷陷溶(rong)蝕洼地形成(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)天然淡水湖泊,是洱(er)海上游的(de)(de)(de)主要(yao)湖泊之(zhi)一,也是洱(er)海的(de)(de)(de)源頭了,鄧川壩子(zi)的(de)(de)(de)灌溉水源主要(yao)靠(kao)它。
湖泊面積(ji)7.86平(ping)方公(gong)里,南(nan)北長6公(gong)里,東西寬(kuan)最(zui)大2.5公(gong)里,湖岸線(xian)總長7公(gong)里,平(ping)均水(shui)深(shen)18米,最(zui)大水(shui)深(shen)32米,湖水(shui)碧(bi)綠透明,湖中盛產的(de)茈(zi)碧(bi)花屬睡蓮(lian)科(ke),葉呈心臟形,浮于水(shui)面,莖長七(qi)八尺(chi),根扎在水(shui)底泥中,夏季(ji)開(kai)花,類(lei)似(si)蓮(lian)蓬,多為(wei)黃(huang)白色,每(mei)天中午(wu)2時(shi)(shi)至下午(wu)4時(shi)(shi)開(kai)放,其余時(shi)(shi)間閉合(he)為(wei)花蕾狀(zhuang),清香撲鼻,湖也因此花而得(de)名。
湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)泊面(mian)積(ji)7.86平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)(加西(xi)南(nan)側的草海(hai)(hai),則為(wei)8.46平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)),南(nan)北長(chang)6.1公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),東西(xi)寬最大2.5公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),最小0.75公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)岸線總長(chang)17公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li),平(ping)均水(shui)深(shen)11米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),最大水(shui)深(shen)32米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),平(ping)均水(shui)溫14Yc湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)最低(di)海(hai)(hai)拔2052.8米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),正常蓄(xu)水(shui)位(wei)2056.2米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),總庫容9322.4萬立(li)方(fang)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi)(其(qi)(qi)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)灌溉(gai)庫容1877萬立(li)方(fang)米(mi)(mi)(mi)(mi),徑(jing)流(liu)面(mian)積(ji)6如.1平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)),湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)水(shui)碧綠透(tou)明,年產鮮(xian)魚(yu)近(jin)百噸(dun)。湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)盛(sheng)(sheng)產芘碧花(hua),構成水(shui)花(hua)奇觀(guan)(guan),“芘碧湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)”由此得名。茈(zi)碧花(hua)屬(shu)睡蓮(lian)科,葉呈心臟形,浮于(yu)水(shui)面(mian),莖長(chang)七八(ba)尺,扎(zha)在水(shui)底泥(ni)中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),夏季(ji)開花(hua),類似蓮(lian)蓬,多為(wei)黃白色,每天中(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)午(wu)12時(shi)至下(xia)午(wu)4時(shi)開放(fang),其(qi)(qi)余時(shi)間閉(bi)合為(wei)花(hua)蕾狀(zhuang),清香(xiang)撲鼻(bi)。這(zhe)種水(shui)生(sheng)花(hua)卉,在日本(ben)稱(cheng)作(zuo)“子午(wu)蓮(lian)”,屬(shu)珍貴(gui)植(zhi)物。死(si)碧湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)背靠青山(shan),面(mian)對壩子,環境優美。湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)北面(mian)有梨(li)園,西(xi)而為(wei)黑(hei)谷(gu)山(shan),山(shan)麓湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)岸曾建(jian)澄碧樓和(he)龍王廟(miao),每年農歷七月二十三為(wei)廟(miao)會期,沿(yan)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)群眾對歌放(fang)海(hai)(hai)燈,只見(jian)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)海(hai)(hai)泛(fan)金波,爭奇競秀。湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)內(nei)盛(sheng)(sheng)產的茈(zi)碧花(hua),有“水(shui)花(hua)樹(shu)”奇觀(guan)(guan),楊升底曾撰《泛(fan)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)窮(qiong)源碑》志其(qi)(qi)勝。
茈碧湖(hu)水源充沛,北有(you)彌茨(ci)河(he),南有(you)鳳(feng)羽河(he),還有(you)鳳(feng)河(he)和潛流源源匯入。
湖泊(bo)徑流區的(de)(de)侵蝕基準面(mian),除南端低(di)洼為(wei)(wei)泄水(shui)(shui)道外(wai),四周(zhou)地(di)表和地(di)下的(de)(de)水(shui)(shui)在湖內匯集。輸水(shui)(shui)干渠??海尾(wei)河(he)長8.5公(gong)里,下泄彌苴河(he),注入洱海。清(qing)嘉慶(qing)十三年(公(gong)元1808年)水(shui)(shui)淹洱源壩子(zi)(zi)時(shi),湖面(mian)曾擴大到28.36平(ping)方公(gong)里。建國后,茈碧湖為(wei)(wei)縣內重點水(shui)(shui)利工程,幾經修建,筑堤(di)圍湖,基本設施已(yi)經配套,成(cheng)了用于(yu)灌溉6萬多畝農田的(de)(de)水(shui)(shui)庫(ku)。1955年3月至1956年9月,將“南映(ying)山光,北接海子(zi)(zi),有(you)堤(di)界其中”的(de)(de)湖泊(bo)縮小,建成(cheng)中型(xing)水(shui)(shui)庫(ku)。該湖水(shui)(shui)無色無味,透(tou)明,色度(du)(du)平(ping)均(jun)8.5度(du)(du),硬度(du)(du)69.7毫克/升,屬(shu)天(tian)然地(di)面(mian)軟水(shui)(shui),PH值平(ping)均(jun)8.15,溶解氧平(ping)均(jun)7.歷毫克/升,各種金屬(shu)含量很低(di)。有(you)機污(wu)染(ran)(ran)評價為(wei)(wei)二級(尚清(qing)潔(jie)級),毒物污(wu)染(ran)(ran)指(zhi)數評價為(wei)(wei)一級(清(qing)潔(jie))。外(wai)湖已(yi)出現沼澤化。現環海公(gong)路岸柳成(cheng)蔭,湖光山色相映(ying)成(cheng)趣,已(yi)成(cheng)為(wei)(wei)優美的(de)(de)風景區和療養勝地(di)。
在(zai)茈碧湖中(zhong),還(huan)有(you)一種罕見的(de)自然景觀,叫“水花(hua)樹(shu)”。每(mei)當(dang)風和日(ri)麗的(de)日(ri)子,如果乘船到(dao)湖心,就(jiu)有(you)可(ke)能欣(xin)賞到(dao)這(zhe)樣的(de)奇景:在(zai)碧綠透明的(de)深水中(zhong),從下而上,冒出一串串晶(jing)亮的(de)水珠,在(zai)陽光的(de)映(ying)照下,就(jiu)像一株掛滿珍珠的(de)玉樹(shu)。