{"id":3591,"date":"2022-09-27T13:25:08","date_gmt":"2022-09-27T19:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/?p=3591"},"modified":"2022-12-23T12:18:09","modified_gmt":"2022-12-23T18:18:09","slug":"how-is-a-lake-formed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/how-is-a-lake-formed\/","title":{"rendered":"How is a Lake Formed? The Science Behind The Formation of Lakes"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:65.1%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:66.7%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-3::before{padding-top:66.7%; }img#mv-trellis-img-3{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-4::before{padding-top:66.7%; }img#mv-trellis-img-4{display:block;}<\/style>\n<p><strong>A lake is formed when water seeps into the soil and forms pockets that fill with sediment and other particles. Water can also create lakes by collecting in low-lying areas after heavy rains or melting snow. Lakes are classified according to how they were formed and their shape.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lake that forms in a depression or basin is called an endorheic lake. Such lakes include the Dead Sea, which has no outlet to the ocean; Lake Eyre, Australia&rsquo;s largest lake, which fills up only when it rains; and the Great Salt Lake in Utah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lake that forms on a flat land surface is called an ephemeral lake. These lakes form when the soil is saturated with water, then disappear when it evaporates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A lake that forms in a depression or basin but has an outlet to another body of water is called a closed lake. Such lakes include the Great Lakes, which the St. Lawrence Seaway connects to the Atlantic Ocean; <a href=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/what-is-the-warmest-lake-in-california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-lasso-id=\"45\">Lake Tahoe in California<\/a> and Nevada, which is connected to Pyramid Lake through the Truckee River; and the Dead Sea, which is connected to the Mediterranean Sea through the Jordan River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rivers and streams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A fast-moving current distinguishes rivers and streams. They can be considered lakes or ponds, depending on their region. In areas where rivers and streams are prevalent, they can contribute to forming lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over time, rivers and streams can deposit sediment in low-lying areas, eventually forming a lake. The lake&rsquo;s size will depend on the size of the river or stream and the amount of sediment deposited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/beak-of-boat-sailing-on-river.jpg\" alt=\"Beak of boat sailing on river\" class=\"wp-image-3592\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201000%20651'%3E%3Crect%20width='1000'%20height='651'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"Beak of boat sailing on river\" class=\"wp-image-3592 eager-load\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/beak-of-boat-sailing-on-river-e1664306032772.jpg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"651\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" loading=\"eager\" data-src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/beak-of-boat-sailing-on-river.jpg\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Glaciers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lakes are formed when glaciers move slowly down a mountain due to their weight. The size of a glacier is determined by how much snow and ice it contains at any given time. Glaciers can form in high, cold places or lower, warmer areas. As glaciers move across the Earth&rsquo;s surface, they leave behind snow and ice that melts and forms lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/kayaking-in-glacier-lake-surrounded-by-the-canadian-rocky-mountains.jpg\" alt=\"Kayaking in Glacier Lake surrounded by the Canadian Rocky Mountains\" class=\"wp-image-3594\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/kayaking-in-glacier-lake-surrounded-by-the-canadian-rocky-mountains.jpg\" alt=\"Kayaking in Glacier Lake surrounded by the Canadian Rocky Mountains\" class=\"wp-image-3594 lazyload\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/kayaking-in-glacier-lake-surrounded-by-the-canadian-rocky-mountains-e1664306156991.jpg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-2\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rainfall and runoff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rainfall is the main factor that affects runoff and the delivery of nutrients and sediments to lakes. The soil type affects the potential for runoff and erosion, affecting the amount of rainfall and runoff that enters the watershed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Land use can also significantly affect the amount of surface water and groundwater inflows and outflows, as well as the amounts and types of sediment, nutrients, and chemicals (natural or synthetic) transported into a lake from the watershed. Finally, lake morphometry (size, shape, depth), currents, and mixing determine how much rainfall runoff enters a lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/dark-and-foggy-lake-with-hills-after-the-rain.jpg\" alt=\"Dark and Foggy lake with hills. after the rain\" class=\"wp-image-3596\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/dark-and-foggy-lake-with-hills-after-the-rain.jpg\" alt=\"Dark and Foggy lake with hills. after the rain\" class=\"wp-image-3596 lazyload\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/dark-and-foggy-lake-with-hills-after-the-rain-e1664306329217.jpg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-3\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Volcanoes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lakes can form from volcanoes in two ways: either through the eruption of a volcano or through the collapse of a volcano.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A volcano can create a lake by blasting debris and water. The debris and water then fall back down and form a lake. A lake can also develop when a volcano collapses. When a volcano collapses, it creates a crater. The crater then fills with water and becomes a lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/volcano-crater-with-lake.jpg\" alt=\"Volcano crater with lake\" class=\"wp-image-3597\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/volcano-crater-with-lake.jpg\" alt=\"Volcano crater with lake\" class=\"wp-image-3597 lazyload\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/volcano-crater-with-lake-e1664306405312.jpg\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-4\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664305786916\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h2 class=\"rank-math-question \">How are oxbow lakes formed?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Oxbow lakes are usually formed after river floods. The water from the flood changes the river&rsquo;s flow and can create an oxbow lake. Earthquakes can also cause oxbow lakes to form, changing the river&rsquo;s flow. Other natural events, like landslides, can also alter the flow of a river enough to create an oxbow lake.<\/p>\n<p>Oxbow lakes are also sometimes artificial. The most common way to create an oxbow lake is to build a dam across the river. If a river floods and water flows over the dam, it can generate an oxbow lake. Dams are created for many reasons: to provide water for cities and towns, to prevent flooding, or to make a hydroelectric power plant.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664305801871\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h2 class=\"rank-math-question \">How are tectonic lakes formed?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The most common type of tectonic lake is the rift valley lake. These types of lakes form in valleys created by the movement or faulting on either side, often associated with developing a rift valley.<\/p>\n<p>Rift valleys form when the Earth&rsquo;s crust is stretched apart and thinned, allowing molten rock to rise up from below the surface. Rift valley lakes often have steep sides, with a deep basin in the middle.<\/p>\n<p>Rift valleys are often associated with volcanic activity and earthquakes. Some of the world&rsquo;s largest lakes are rift valley lakes formed in the Great Rift Valley of Africa.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664305824581\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h2 class=\"rank-math-question \">How are the great lakes formed?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Glaciers formed the Great Lakes during the ice age. As the climate warmed, glaciers began to recede and expose the land they had carved. This led to the formation of glacial lakes. As the atmosphere continued to warm, glaciers continued to melt and fill in the scarred terrain they left behind, leading to an increase in the number of glacial lakes.<\/p>\n<p>As the climate continued to warm, glaciers melted even more. Eventually, glaciers completely disappeared and left behind depressions in the land that filled with water creating lakes. In conclusion, as the climate warmed, glaciers melted and left craters in the land filled with water creating lakes.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664305864218\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h2 class=\"rank-math-question \">How can lakes dry up?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Lakes can dry up for a variety of reasons. One reason is reduced inflow to the lake due to climate change. The lake&rsquo;s level can drop with less water flowing into the lake.<br>Another reason lakes can dry up is increased diversion for irrigated agriculture. <\/p>\n<p>When water is diverted from a lake for irrigation, it can reduce the water in the lake, causing the level to drop.<\/p>\n<p>The building of dams can also cause lakes to dry up. Dams can block water flow into a lake, reducing the lake&rsquo;s water. This can cause the level of the lake to drop.<\/p>\n<p>Reduced rainfall over the surface of a lake can also lead to decreased water levels in a lake. If there is less rain, less water is available to fill the lake, and the level will drop.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1664305917210\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h2 class=\"rank-math-question \">How are man-made lakes formed?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>If a lake is man-made, it is created by the construction of an artificial barrier or dam. This causes water to overtop its banks and flood nearby land for as long as the water level remains higher than the border&rsquo;s height.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, a natural lake will be enlarged to form a man-made reservoir. In other instances, an existing pond may be dammed to increase the lake&rsquo;s size.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A lake is formed when water seeps into the soil and forms pockets that fill with sediment and other particles. Water can also create lakes by collecting in low-lying areas &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3600,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"","disable-critical-css":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3591"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3591\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lakeaccess.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}