Blue lake, South Australia -- 1001 Natural Wonders

August 16, 2012

The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier, South Australia is a large monomictic lake. The lake itself measures 1,087 metres (3,566 feet) by 657 metres (2,155 feet). The bottom of the lake is 30 metres (100 feet) below the level of the main street of the nearby town. The Blue Lake supplies the town with drinking water.During December to March, the lake turns to a vibrant cobalt blue colour, returning to a colder steel grey colour for April to November. The exact cause of this phenomenon is still a matter of conjecture, but it is generally considered likely that it revolves around the warming of the surface layers of the lake during the summer months to around 20 degrees Celsius (70 °F), causing calcium carbonate to precipitate out of solution and enabling micro-crystallites of calcium carbonate to form. Each year the town holds a festival when the lake
藍湖是位於南澳洲干比爾山一座死火山低平火山口的一個火山湖。藍湖的平均湖水深度是 72 公尺，部分地區可深達 75 公尺.湖水的高度大約比干比爾市的主要街道高出 30 公尺，每年大約供應了附近人口 35 億升的飲用水.從每年的十二月到三月間，湖水會呈現生氣勃勃的鈷藍色；到了四月之後，則漸漸轉回冷調的鐵灰色.每年小城的居民當水變藍時會有慶祝的儀式.藍湖的水是我們看過最明亮的藍,看過後讓我們終身難忘.