Lake Harris (South Australia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Harris |
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 Lake Harris
Location in South Australia
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| Location | South Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°04′S 135°14′E / 31.07°S 135.24°E |
| Type | Endorheic, salt lake |
| Primary outflows | evaporation |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Designation | Lake Gairdner National Park |
| Max. length | 32 kilometres (20 mi) |
| Max. width | 16 kilometres (10 mi) |
| Surface area | 300 square kilometres (120 sq mi) |
| Islands | “a number of islands” |
Lake Harris is a large, salty lake in South Australia. It's located north of the Eyre Peninsula, about 530 kilometers (330 miles) northwest of the state capital, Adelaide.
This lake is known as an "endorheic" lake. This means water flows into it, but it doesn't flow out to rivers or the ocean. Instead, the water stays in the lake and eventually disappears through evaporation. Because of this, Lake Harris is also a salt lake, meaning its water is very salty.
Discovering Lake Harris
Lake Harris was named by the government of South Australia. It got its name from a surveyor named Charles Hope Harris. He was the first to discover and map the lake way back in 1874.
What Lake Harris Looks Like
Lake Harris stretches out in a north-easterly direction. It is about 32 kilometers (20 miles) long and up to 16 kilometers (10 miles) wide.
The lake has "a number of islands" within it. These islands are made from old rock and soil, covered with a lot of sand.
The bottom of the lake is made of special muds, clays, and silts. You can also find some gypsum crystals there. The top layer of the lake bed is a salt crust. This crust can be between 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) and 75 millimeters (3 inches) thick. However, some parts of the lake don't have a clear salt crust.
Inside the lake bed, there are also areas with gypsum sand dunes. These dunes have plants growing on them. You might see low samphire shrubs or taller shrubs with a special type of plant called a chenopod underneath.
Protecting Lake Harris
Lake Harris is an important natural area. It is part of the Lake Gairdner National Park. This park also includes two other nearby lakes, Lake Everard and Lake Gairdner. Together, these lakes form a protected area where nature can thrive.
