Pátzcuaro sits on the southern edge of Lake Pátzcuaro, and this lake still has important economic and cultural significance for the town.
Associated with Pátzcuaro are a number of islands, the best-known of which is Janitzio, a name that means corn hair.
 It is recognizable through the forty-meter statue of José María Morelos y Pavón that is on the top of the hill.
Underneath the statue is a series of murals about the life of this Mexican hero.
There are four other islands in the lake.
La Pacanda is in the center.
This island has a small pond in it with carp and ducks.
Yuneén Island is near the center and its name means half moon.
Its attractions include its vegetation, traditional houses and cabins for visitors.
Urandenes is closer to Patzcuaro and consists of three islands surrounded by canals in which white fish were formally raised.
The pez blanco (whitefish) that used to bring tourists to Pátzcuaro are no longer fished because of the lake's contamination, although on special occasions the famous butterfly nets are often displayed in canoes on the water.
Tecuena is the smallest island in the lake and its name means good honey.
The docks at Pátzcuaro have boats that travel to these islands.

Until 2007, only Pátzcuaro had a water treatment facility with smaller communities discharging wastewater directly into the lake, causing grave pollution problems.
Contamination has mostly been chemical, trash and wastewater, as well as sediment during the rainy season.
The government of the state of Michoacán, the federal environmental protection agency and the Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua have started  a program to clean up the basin of Lake Pátzcuaro.
The plan is to repair the existing water treatment facilities and build two more.
 It also includes reforestation around the lake, landfills and barriers to prevent the contamination of the streams of the basin.
Pátzcuaro sits on the southern edge of Lake Pátzcuaro, and this lake still has important economic and cultural significance for the town. Associated with Pátzcuaro are a number of islands, the best-known of which is Janitzio, a name that means corn hair.  It is recognizable through the forty-meter statue of José María Morelos y Pavón that is on the top of the hill. Underneath the statue is a series of murals about the life of this Mexican hero. There are four other islands in the lake. La Pacanda is in the center. This island has a small pond in it with carp and ducks. Yuneén Island is near the center and its name means half moon. Its attractions include its vegetation, traditional houses and cabins for visitors. Urandenes is closer to Patzcuaro and consists of three islands surrounded by canals in which white fish were formally raised. The pez blanco (whitefish) that used to bring tourists to Pátzcuaro are no longer fished because of the lake's contamination, although on special occasions the famous butterfly nets are often displayed in canoes on the water. Tecuena is the smallest island in the lake and its name means good honey. The docks at Pátzcuaro have boats that travel to these islands.
Until 2007, only Pátzcuaro had a water treatment facility with smaller communities discharging wastewater directly into the lake, causing grave pollution problems. Contamination has mostly been chemical, trash and wastewater, as well as sediment during the rainy season. The government of the state of Michoacán, the federal environmental protection agency and the Instituto Mexicano de Tecnologia del Agua have started  a program to clean up the basin of Lake Pátzcuaro. The plan is to repair the existing water treatment facilities and build two more.  It also includes reforestation around the lake, landfills and barriers to prevent the contamination of the streams of the basin.
Pátzcuaro