The Many Types of Lakes

We have all seen a lake at some point in our life. The natural and serene beauty that they hold has drawn many people to build their homes along the banks of a lake. WE know how beautiful lakes are, but, do you ever stop and wonder just how lakes came to be. There are on fact, several different kids of lakes. The type of lake is determined by how it is made. Climate changes, movement of the Earth's plates, erosion, and even human and animal activity cam all produce lakes.

Glacier movement can carve basins for lakes to form. The movement of the glacier going back and forth across the Earth, compounded by its weight can carve deep holes into the ground beneath it. The hole then fills with water, and a lake is born. Glaciers also produce lakes when parts of it break away and create a dam. The dam will fill with water and it produces a lake. When glaciers retreat back to the sea, they often leave behind big ice blocks. When these ice blocks melt, they create smaller lakes, known as kettle lakes. Most of the lakes that are in the northern part of the United States are glacial lakes.

When the Earth's plates moves, causing earthquakes, their movement causes many changes on the surface of the Earth itself. One result of this movement can result in what is known as tectonic lakes. When the ground is depressed, tilted, or folded, the area or hole left behind becomes a lake basin. The basin fills with water. Lakes can also form along the fault lines.

Glacier lakes and tectonic lakes are the most common types of lakes. There are several other things that can create lakes too.

Volcanic lakes are formed through many different kinds of volcanic activity. One such way is the natural formation of crater basins. Volcanic craters are formed when a volcano becomes extinct. These basins are distinguishable by their very clear waters and dams created by lava.

Landslides, such as a rock or mud slide can create a dam that blocks rivers or streams. The water that collects there forms a lake. These lakes often disappear in short periods of time, but there are instances in which the lake remains for a long time.

A solution lake is distinguished by significant deposits of limestone being found where bubbling water creates holes. This particular lake type is found a lot in the Florida area.

A plunge pool is a lake that is created by waterfalls eroding the ground at the bottom, creating deep pools for water to stand. This particular type of lake often occurs with glacier activity that has changes the course of the water flow. They are found, generally, in the northern parts of the United States, such as Washington and New York They are somewhat rare to find.

An oxbow lake is a lake that is created when rivers or streams happen to move across low parts of land. They also form when the river or stream has altered its course, and there is a previous channel left behind. An oxbow lake will often form within the previous channel. These are commonly found along the Mississippi River.

Beaver-made lakes are those lakes that are created when beavers build their dams. Water flows into the area and remains there as long as the dam stays in place and stays strong. Human beings also create lakes by building dams. Lake Mead is a human made lake.

Now, whenever you look at a lake and admire its beauty, you will know a little more of how it may have been created. Whether it is a lake made by a glacier, from the movements of tectonic plates under the Earth's surface, from volcanic actions, from landslides, from limestone deposits, from waterfalls eroding the ground, from the changing of river or stream paths, or from man or beavers building dams, each lake is beautiful in its own way. No matter how beautiful a lake may be, no lake will remain forever. As time goes by, lakes all begin to shrink. Some dry up, others may fill with sediment. A thousand years from now, many of the lakes that we admire now will no longer exist.