Koehn Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Koehn Lake |
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 Koehn Lake
Location in California
Koehn Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mojave Desert Kern County, California |
| Coordinates | 35°20′17″N 117°51′54″W / 35.338°N 117.865°W |
| Lake type | Endorheic basin |
| Primary outflows | Terminal |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5 miles (8.0 km) |
| Max. width | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
| Shore length1 | 30 km (19 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 579 m (1,900 ft) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Koehn Lake is a fascinating place in the Mojave Desert of Kern County, California. It's mostly a dry lake, meaning it's usually just a flat, empty basin. But sometimes, after heavy rains, it can become a shallow lake for a short time. This type of lake is called an endorheic lake, which means water flows into it but doesn't flow out to the ocean. Instead, it just evaporates.
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Where is Koehn Lake?
Koehn Lake is located in the Fremont Valley in eastern Kern County, California. It's about 19 km (12 mi) northeast of a town called California City. You can also find it east of Red Rock Canyon State Park.
How Big is the Lakebed?
The area where Koehn Lake forms is quite large. It stretches for about 5 miles (8.0 km) (8 km) long. At its widest point, it measures about 3 miles (4.8 km) (5 km) across.
A Salty Past
The dry lakebed of Koehn Lake has a unique history. Because water evaporates from it, it leaves behind minerals, especially salt.
Salt Harvesting Town
In 1915, a town called Saltdale was started near the lake. People came there to harvest salt directly from the dry lakebed. Today, Saltdale is a ghost town, meaning no one lives there anymore.
Other Nearby Places
Another ghost town called Garlock is located to the north of Koehn Lake. If you visit the southern entrance of the Burro Schmidt Tunnel, you can look out over the dry lake and the Fremont Valley.
