Black Horse Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black Horse Lake |
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 Black Horse Lake
Location in Montana
Black Horse Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Great Falls, Montana |
| Coordinates | 47°36′21″N 111°13′14″W / 47.60583°N 111.22056°W |
| Type | Endorheic basin |
Black Horse Lake is a unique seasonal lake found just north of Great Falls, Montana. Unlike many lakes, it doesn't always have water. This lake usually fills up only during the spring and early summer months. For the rest of the year, it often becomes a dry basin.
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Discovering Black Horse Lake's Past
Black Horse Lake wasn't always a seasonal body of water. Long ago, it was a much larger lake that held water all year round. Early European settlers in the Great Falls area needed water for their farms. They found a solution in Benton Lake. This lake is less than three miles northwest of Black Horse Lake.
How Benton Lake Changed Black Horse Lake
To get water for their crops, settlers dug canals. These canals were designed to drain water from Benton Lake. One of these old canals still exists today. It runs from the northwest towards the southeast. This canal leads directly towards where Black Horse Lake is located. However, the canal stops about a third of a mile before reaching the lake. Benton Lake sits at about 3,625 feet (1,105 meters) above sea level. The draining of Benton Lake likely changed the water levels in Black Horse Lake over time.
Understanding Black Horse Lake's Size
The size of Black Horse Lake changes a lot. Its water level depends on how much rain and snow falls. Other things, like how much water evaporates, also play a role. In very dry years, the lake might not fill up at all. It can remain completely dry.
Measuring the Lake's Maximum Extent
When Black Horse Lake is at its fullest, it can be quite large. It stretches about 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) from north to south. From east to west, it can be about 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) wide. At its largest, the lake covers an area of about 3 square miles (7.8 square kilometers). This shows how much its size can vary with the seasons and weather.
Images for kids
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The nearby Benton Lake, which influenced Black Horse Lake. Photo taken in 2013.
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