Just a four-hour journey from NYC, and only about 15 minutes away from Syracuse, lies two of the rarest lakes in the world: Green and Round Lakes. Located within Green Lakes State Park, these two bodies of water are categorized as meromictic lakes. There are only 36 meromictic lakes in the entire world.
So what are meromictic lakes and why are they so rare? Meromictic lakes are defined by their layers of water that do not mix. This results in different layers (Mixolimnion, Chemocline, Monimolimnion) that vary in salinity, density and so on.
In appearance, meromictic lakes are often recognized by their color gradients and the undisturbed sediment at the bottom. According to Green Lakes State Park, these lakes have possible evidence of ancient life and plants.
Meromictic lakes are a rarity for numerous reasons. Firstly, they require a morphology with a deep, steep-sided basin in relation to their surface in order to create its notable layers. Secondly, the bottom layers have a greater density and salinity than the upper layers.
Inversely, holomictic lakes (what majority of earth’s lakes are), where water layers mix, have less of a difference in salinity or density. Plus, chemical stratification, as a result of chemocline present, ensures meromictic lakes maintain their distinctive conditions.
Other famous global meromictic lakes include: Lake Cadagno in Switzerland, Lake Nyos in Cameroon and McGinnis Lake in Ontario.
Green Lake is the larger of Green Lakes State Park’s two meromictic lakes, spanning 65 acres with a depth of 195 feet in Fayetteville, New York. Round Lake is approximately 34 acres and 170 feet deep.
Green Lake, unsurprisingly, got its name from its iconic green-blue hue. Typically, a lake’s greenish-blue color would come from algae or plankton. However, Green Lake’s calcium carbonate is to blame. With such high levels, the calcium carbonate reflects green wavelengths. Learn more about it on the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s website.
Both lakes are available for kayaking, swimming, boating, and fishing. Meanwhile, on land, visitors can camp, hike, golf, and cross-country ski in the winter.
đź“Ť 7900 Green Lakes Rd, Fayetteville