The lake was originally called Danaw (which is still being used by the Subanen tribe), and is part of the Subanen's ancestral domain. In 1904, in an expedition from Misamis to Dumanquilas Bay, Captain Cornelius C. Smith of the 14th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army discovered Lake Danaw and proceeded to report it to the American Administration.[3] Captain Smith then renamed the lake as Lake Leonard Wood, after the Governor-General of the time, Governor Leonard Wood. Over time, the lake's name changed to Lake Wood.
Physical characteristics
Lake Wood has a surface area of 7.38 km2 (2.85 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 85 m (278.87 ft). The lake's elevation is lower on the southeast side.
The lake is fed by rainfall and groundwater. On the southeast side is the Biswangan River, the lake's only outlet, which flows into Dumanquilas Bay.[1]
Biodiversity
Because of the limited information about Lake Wood, not much is known about the flora and fauna of the lake. There is only one known species of endemic fish that resides in the lake, that is the Rasbora philippina, locally known as Porang.[1]
Aside from fauna, several species of aquatic vegetation also grow in the lake:
The lake is said by residents to be inhabited by a giant, man-eating, fish-like creature called the "Busiso" which is attracted by a certain Subanen chant. This has led to a superstition against singing while sailing along the lake.[4]
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