Reed Lake, along with neighboring Chaplin Lake and Old Wives Lake cover a combined area of over 100,000 acres (42,000 hectares). They form one of the most important wetland sites in all of North America for migratory birds; with hundreds of thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds visiting annually.
The lakes were formed about 20,000 years ago by the movement of glaciers creating depressions in the otherwise flat landscape. Originally deeper, a drought about 8000 years ago caused a drop in water level which in turn increased the saline concentration of the water. The resulting combination of shallow depth and increased salinity make Reed Lake an ideal wetland for migratory birds. The shallow depth means that the lake thaws and warms quickly in the spring and when this warmth is coupled with the moderate salinity of the lake it produces large hatches of aquatic invertebrates which act as an important food source for migratory birds as they stopover to fuel up.
Reed Lake is filled by runoff from surrounding fields which enters the lake via creeks. There is no outflow; inflow is balanced by water loss due to evaporation. Although rare, the lake can completely dry up during severe drought conditions.
To log this earthcache please email answers to the following questions: (Do not place your answers in your log)
1. What size is Reed Lake in hectares?
2. What is the average depth of Reed Lake in meters?
3. What is the average volume of water in Reed Lake? To determine the volume of a lake multiply it's size in hectares x 10,000 x it's average depth in meters. Your answer will be in cubic meters.
4. The information boards posted throughout the observation tower list at least 24 bird species you may see on Reed Lake. Which bird is the largest you are likely to see here?
5. When was the last time Reed Lake was dry?
6. How many steps did you have to take to get to the top level of the viewing platform?
As always, feel free to take and post pics of yourself at the location, however this is optional.