About Mountain Lake
Recent years have revealed a pattern in the water level of Mountain Lake that was presumed to be a new phenomenon of water "draining" from this basin. Further study by our researchers has uncovered what has proven to be an ancient pattern of cycles that leave the water level of Mountain Lake both "up" and "down" for extended periods of time. The reason has to do with how much water Mother Nature gives us in the form of rainfall.
Here's how it works:
The basin upon which the waters of Mountain Lake sit is made up of four different rock substrates and their corresponding fault lines...
...and it is fed entirely by springs and ground water from the surrounding mountaintop and basin - at nearly 4,000 feet above sea level. So, it's remarkable that a lake even exists here when you think of the implications of it lying on the top of a lot of cracks and on top of a mountain!
Water has been flowing into this mountaintop basin for 8 or 10,000 years, but it probably never stayed for very long. Then, about 6,000 years ago, the rocks at the north end of the lake slid down from the surrounding mountaintop, creating a semi-permeable "dam" at that site, resulting in a more bowl-like structure for this basin. With the new layout of the basin, outflow of water would now take longer, resulting in the creating of a pond or lake as water accumulated faster than it could leave
Recent studies show that subterranean water "loss" up here occurs at about 600 gallons per minute; every day, year around!
Water Level
What keeps the lake "full" is the amount of water that flows into the lake from groundwater, e.g. rain & melted snow. dry years equals less input; wet years equals more input.
When we have a "dry" season, less water flows into the lake while water is still flowing out, causing the lake to look like we've pulled the plug! All year long, the lake's water level fluctuates according to the amount of rainfall we've had up here.
So, whether there's a "full pond" or "low pond", this basin on top of salt pond mountain is naturally wet and dry.
When the waters are "up" float on a canoe and watch the fish below in the shallows defend their circular nests.
When the waters are "down" explore the rocky shores or check out the creatures in the subsequent occurring wetland.
Either way, be sure to enjoy a swim in the freshest water around! (a balmy 69 deg F -19 deg C in summer, a cool 45 deg F -7 deg C in the winter!)
Come to the Wilderness Conservancy Visitors Center located at the East end of the Lakeview Building to learn more about Mountain Lake, it's cycles, and the surrounding ecosystem!