Diān Lake

Dian Lake spreads across a broad basin south of Kunming, beneath the steep slopes of the Western Hills. The Panlong River enters from the north, and the Haikou River carries its waters away to the west. A long sandbank called Haigeng separates the shallow northern Caohai from the larger lake. Over many centuries sediment from incoming rivers and the deepening of the outlet reduced the lake's extent. Yuan and Ming works to clear the Haikou channel also lowered its waters, exposing land along the shores.