In 2002 the lake was designated as a site for conservation under the Ramsar Convention.[6][7][8] By December 2015, the lake had completely dried up, leaving only a few marshy areas.[9][4][6] Although the lake has dried up completely twice in the past, it does not appear that it will recover this time.[10] Suggested causes of the decline are the melting of the Andes glaciers and loss of their waters, because of a drought due to climate change, as well as continued diversion of water for mining and agriculture.[10]