Singletary Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Singletary Lake |
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December 2007
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 Singletary Lake
Location in North Carolina
Singletary Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bladen County, North Carolina, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°35′20″N 078°26′55″W / 34.58889°N 78.44861°W |
| Type | Carolina Bay |
| Primary inflows | rainwater |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Managing agency | North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources |
| Designation | State Lake |
| Surface area | 572 acres (2.3 km2) |
| Average depth | 11.8 ft (3.6 m) |
| Surface elevation | 62 ft (19 m) |
Singletary Lake is a cool lake in Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. It's surrounded by Singletary Lake State Park. This lake is one of many special lakes called Carolina bay lakes. These lakes stretch all the way from New Jersey to Florida along the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how these Carolina Bay lakes were formed. But one thing we know for sure about Singletary Lake is that it doesn't have any rivers or streams flowing into it. It gets all its water from rain. The ground under and around the lake is made of sandy clay and sand. This land is lower than the areas around it, and water doesn't drain away easily. This is why Singletary Lake was formed.
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What Makes Singletary Lake Special?
Singletary Lake is the deepest of all the Carolina Bay lakes. It is about 11.8 feet (3.6 m) deep. Even though it's the deepest, it's not the biggest. The lake covers about 572 acres (2.31 km2) of land and has a shoreline that is four miles (6.43 km) long.
Since the lake only gets water from rain, its water level changes. If there's a lot of rain, the lake will be fuller. If there's a dry spell, the water level will go down.
Plants and Animals Around the Lake
The southwest side of Singletary Lake has a wet, spongy area called a bog. This bog is full of bay trees. On the other hand, the southeast side of the lake has a sandy rim with very few plants growing on it.
In the area where the bog meets the sand, you can find amazing plants like Venus Flytraps. These plants are famous for catching insects!
How Lakes Change Over Time
Most Carolina Bay lakes, including Singletary Lake, are completely surrounded by plants and trees. These plants and shrubs that grow along the edge of the lake help slow down water movement and waves. This allows tiny bits of dirt and sand, called sediments, to settle at the bottom. It also helps more plants grow.
When these plants die, they create a material called peat. This peat builds up on the shoreline, and then more plants start to grow on top of it. Slowly, the forest around the lake begins to creep into the lake itself. This process makes the lake smaller over time. Eventually, a swampy forest might stand where a lake once was. This natural process has already made Singletary Lake at least 44% smaller than it used to be!
Protecting Singletary Lake
Singletary Lake was officially made a North Carolina State Lake in 1929. This means it's a special place that is protected. The lake is managed by the nearby Singletary Lake State Park, which helps keep it healthy and open for people to enjoy.
