The name has a variety of possible meanings: “place of locusts above the water”, “humid or soaked place” or “place of vases or small pots”.  The lake may have been named after an Indian chief, Chapa, who apparently lived in the area when the first missionaries arrived.

Lake Chapala is situated at an altitude of 1,525 meters (5,000 feet) in the southeastern part of the Sierra Madre Mountains, and is the largest lake in Mexico.  Numerous towns and villages surround the central and western end of lake against a backdrop of verdant mountains.

Lake Chapala is part of the Lerma-Santiago River system, from which the water flows northwest into the Pacific Ocean. It is the major water source for the nearby city of Guadalajara and its five million residents. The lake is also a critical habitat for several species of migratory, rare, and endemic (found nowhere else) waterfowl, such as the white pelican, and home to thousands of indigenous plants and animals and endemic fish species.

As in other parts of the world, increasing human demand and inefficient use of water have added stress to the system of rivers, lakes, canals, and wetlands. Fortunately, the climatic cycle changed direction in the past five years producing above average rainfall both in the immediate area and upstream.  The result has been a resurgence of the lake to levels not seen since the 1960’s. 

The town of Chapala is a weekend destination for many residents of Guadalajara out for a family drive or visiting friends and relatives in the area.  Many Tapatios (residents of Guadalajara) also have weekend homes along the lake.  The town is the municipal seat, as well as a regional supply and distribution centre.  The village of Ajijic may now be more famous than Chapala.  It has evolved into a tourist mecca, and also a prime residential area coveted by many who move here.  The number of restaurants, bars and shops is truly disproportional to the population. It is also home to an increasing number of local and international artists, writers, and musicians.