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As the human population grows, so does water demand. But sadly, many lakes around the world are drying up at an alarming rate, at risk of disappearing entirely. The reasons vary, but most will expire because of drought, deforestation, overgrazing, pollution, climate change, or water diversions. And as water is absolutely necessary for life, the folks, flora, and fauna who live near and depend on these lakes will be the ones to suffer the consequences.
Do we have your attention? Click through this gallery to discover the most endangered lakes in the world.
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest lake, with a coastline that covers more than 4,000 miles (over 6,435 km) and spans five countries, including Russia. It provides drinking water, gas, and oil reserves, as well as much-needed rainfall for Central Asia. It also sustains a mass of wildlife and is an essential source for fishing and farming. But due to the human-caused climate crisis and rising pollution levels, the lake is now shrinking at an alarming rate.
Located on the Nevada-Arizona border, Lake Mead experienced a rise in levels with the 1935 completion of the Hoover Dam. However, things took a turn in 2000 when a mega drought hit the region.
Located in Siberia, Lake Baikal is the world's deepest and most ancient lake. Sadly, it hasn't been spared from algae blooms, caused by an excess of nutrients from fertilizers and sewage washing into the water.
At just 40% capacity, Lake Shasta, located in northern California, is so low that officials now ration what little water remains. Nearby communities only get its water for health and safety purposes.
Lake Urmia is a hypersaline lake located in Iran. Formerly the largest saltwater lake in the Middle East, it has shrunk 10% of its original size.
The decades-long drought hitting the West Coast also affected the Salton Sea in California. On top of that, years' worth of fertilizers that accumulated in the exposed lake bed are being thrown into the air by strong winds, both creating and killing asthmatics.
Located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the Aral Sea is now about 10% of its original size, split into four different bodies of water. This is largely due to agricultural usage, primarily to grow cotton, rice, melons, and cereal.
Once the size of the Caspian Sea, Lake Chad, located in west-central Africa, has lost about 95% of its water since the 1960s due to drought and overuse by humans.
Once a wetlands' area for migrating birds, as well as a source of drinking water for the city of Samawa in southern Iraq, Sawa Lake is now only little more than a mud puddle.
Located in Peru, Santa Cruz Lake is a glacier-fed lake that's losing water at a dramatic rate because the Pastoruri Glacier, which feeds it, is shrinking rapidly.
China’s third-largest freshwater lake has been burdened by pollution in recent years due to fast urbanization. With many factories on its banks, its waters have been dumped with waste materials.
Lake Okeechobee in Florida is fairly shallow, with an average depth of only 9 feet (2.7 m). The largest lake in the southeastern US, it has long suffered from human development along its shores, and, more critically to the watershed, agricultural fertilizers.
Located in Bengaluru City, India, Bellandur Lake is used as the city's drainage system, making it highly contaminated with sewage.
Located between the Great Lakes of Huron and Ontario, St. Clair has sadly seen its environment degrade due to years of human development. Sewage-laden water has flowed into the lake since 2000, setting off E. coli outbreaks and harmful algal blooms.
Located in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, Lake Djibouti is a saline lake that has no outflow except from evaporation. So if Lake Assal eventually dries up, many people will at least have plenty of salt to profit from.
The largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria has become a dumping area for domestic and industrial waste. It's highly polluted by raw sewage, chemicals, and fertilizers.
Lake Puzhal, a rain-fed reservoir near Chennai, India, is losing water at an unprecedented rate and may soon run completely dry. The monsoon rains that feed the lake have been unreliable since 2017, and sadly other lakes nearby are also running dry due to rising temperatures.
Drought affecting the Great Salt Lake in Utah could have an enormous economic impact if water levels continue to drop. It would inflict a US$1.3 billion hit to the mineral extraction industry, $81 million in lost recreation, and a further $67 million loss in the brine shrimp industry.
Located near the city of Guadalajara, Lake Chapala is Mexico’s largest freshwater lake. However, the lake is shrinking due to an increase of urban, industrial, and agricultural consumption.
Located in northeastern Israel, the Sea of Galilee has been shrinking at an alarming rate. Drought conditions since 2018 have dramatically lowered the lake’s level.
Located in Jiangxi Province in southeastern China, Poyang Lake is the largest fresh water lake in the country. However, drought, sand quarrying, and storage for the Three Gorges Dam are responsible for dramatically shrinking the lake.
Considered as the jewel of Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe has suffered greatly in recent years because of drought, wildfires, toxic runoff, litter, and climate change. It has also been losing water by evaporation, which could turn it into a saline lake that continually shrinks.
Located in the Bolivian Altiplano Mountains, Lake Poopo has lost water due to recent drought and climate change. This has also led to the shrinkage of many glaciers throughout South America.
Lying between Peru and Bolivia, Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America. Although the lake doesn’t seem to be in danger of drying up, its water level has decreased since 2000. This is because rainy seasons have grown shorter and glaciers in the area are shrinking, reducing flows into the lake.
Filled from the Sierra Nevada with water laden with minerals and salts, evaporation has left the Mono in California over twice as salty as the ocean. With extreme drought affecting the area, water has been reduced so severely that it can no longer provide drinking water.
Located in the Sahel region of Mali, Lake Faguibine doesn’t exist unless the Niger River, about 75 miles (120 km) south, floods over, filling some small lakes to the north and eventually adding water to the lake. Unfortunately, the Niger River doesn’t flood much these days, because of drought.
Owens Lake had plenty of water until 1913, when the water was diverted to the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which sadly caused it to dry up. Some of it has been restored, but the lake is now more a source of alkaline dust than water.
Located in Tanzania, Lake Tanganyika is considered the third-largest lake by volume in the world. However, it has been adversely affected by human activity in the form of climate change, deforestation, overfishing, and hydrocarbon exploitation.
Known as the most polluted lake in the US, contamination can be traced directly to human industry. Located in upstate New York, Onondaga is packed with algal blooms, leading to murky water conditions and decreased oxygen.
Created by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, Lake Powell has been suffering a drought since 1980. Right now it's just over 25% of its capacity.
Sources: (Grunge) (Owlcation)
See also: Is it still safe to eat tuna?
The most endangered lakes in the world
If things don’t change, these lakes could disappear completely
LIFESTYLE Environment
As the human population grows, so does water demand. But sadly, many lakes around the world are drying up at an alarming rate, at risk of disappearing entirely. The reasons vary, but most will expire because of drought, deforestation, overgrazing, pollution, climate change, or water diversions. And as water is absolutely necessary for life, the folks, flora, and fauna who live near and depend on these lakes will be the ones to suffer the consequences.
Do we have your attention? Click through this gallery to discover the most endangered lakes in the world.