Lake Albacutya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Albacutya |
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|---|---|
| Location | Wimmera, Victoria |
| Coordinates | 35°45′S 141°58′E / 35.750°S 141.967°E |
| Type | eutrophic |
| Primary inflows | Outlet Creek |
| Primary outflows | Outlet Creek (When full), evaporation |
| Catchment area | 23,500 km2 (9,100 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Max. length | 13 km (8.1 mi) |
| Max. width | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
| Surface area | 55 km2 (21 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Max. depth | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Water volume | 230 GL |
Lake Albacutya is a freshwater lake located in western Victoria, Australia. It is a very important natural area. This lake is recognized globally as a special wetland. It is listed under the Ramsar Convention. This means it is a wetland of international importance.
When the lake is full, it covers about 5,500 hectares. That's a huge area! It can be up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) deep. At its fullest, Lake Albacutya holds around 230 gigalitres of water. A gigalitre is a billion litres.
About Lake Albacutya
Lake Albacutya is part of a larger system. This system is called the Wimmera River Terminal Wetlands. These wetlands are found at the end of the Wimmera River's journey. Water flows into Lake Albacutya from a stream called Outlet Creek. However, Outlet Creek only flows when another lake, Lake Hindmarsh, overflows.
How Water Fills the Lake
The journey of the water starts with the Wimmera River. Water from the Wimmera River first flows into Lake Hindmarsh. If Lake Hindmarsh gets too full, its extra water then flows into Outlet Creek. This is how Lake Albacutya gets its water.
When Lake Albacutya itself becomes full, its water also flows further north. It travels along Outlet Creek to fill other smaller lakes and wetlands. This full flow from Lake Albacutya has not happened since 1976.
Lake Vegetation and Dry Periods
Lake Albacutya has less salt in its water than Lake Hindmarsh. This difference is important for plants. Because it's less salty, Lake Albacutya can support more plants. Even when the lake dries up, you can see a lot of vegetation growing there.
The lake has not received new water for many years. It remained completely dry even during 2011 and 2012. Those years were wetter for other areas. This shows how special the water flow system is for Lake Albacutya.
