Lake Gibson (Florida) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Gibson |
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 Lake Gibson
Location in Florida
Lake Gibson
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lakeland, Polk County, Florida |
| Coordinates | 28°6′33″N 81°57′38″W / 28.10917°N 81.96056°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 483 acres (1.95 km2) |
| Average depth | 7 ft (2.1 m) |
| Max. depth | 20 ft (6.1 m) |
| Water volume | 1,027,345,827 US gal (3,150 acre⋅ft; 3.89 hm3) |
Lake Gibson is a beautiful lake located in Polk County, Florida, in the United States. It covers a large area of about 483 acres, which is roughly the size of 365 football fields! This makes it a significant natural feature in the region.
The lake is an important part of the Peace River - Saddle Creek Watershed. A watershed is like a big bowl where all the rain and water from a certain area drain into a common point, like a river or a lake. So, Lake Gibson collects water from its surrounding land.
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What is Lake Gibson Used For?
Lake Gibson is more than just a pretty body of water. It has a special purpose: it serves as a base for seaplanes!
Seaplane Base
A seaplane is an aircraft that can take off from and land on water. Lake Gibson has a long "runway" on its surface, stretching about 7,000 feet. This allows seaplanes to use the lake for their flights. The official code for this seaplane base is 8FA0. Imagine planes using water instead of a paved runway!
Local Connections
The lake is so important to the area that many local places are named after it. For example, Lake Gibson High School and several neighborhoods in the area proudly carry the name of Lake Gibson. This shows how much the lake means to the community around it.
Lake Gibson's Size and Depth
Lake Gibson is quite large and has interesting features regarding its size.
How Big is Lake Gibson?
As mentioned, the lake spans about 483 acres. To give you an idea of its size, that's almost 2 square kilometers! It holds a huge amount of water, roughly 1 billion US gallons.
How Deep is Lake Gibson?
While it's a large lake, Lake Gibson isn't extremely deep. Its average depth is about 7 feet (which is about 2 meters). However, in some spots, it can get deeper, reaching a maximum depth of around 20 feet (about 6 meters).
