Lake Mud (Organic Material)

Lake mud and organic matter are two of the main elements that make up a chinampa. A chinampa is a small, strip-shaped island built with sediment from the lake bottom, branches and decaying vegetation. In the construction of a chinampa, a layer of canal sediment is placed onto a grid made of woven reeds. Lake mud and reed mats are layered until the chinampa reaches the desired height. Then, willow trees, or ahuejotes, are planted along its edges to anchor the chinampa to the lake floor.