NPS Photo There are a total of six subalpine lakes found in Great Basin National Park. Stella and Teresa Lakes occupy glacial cirques near Wheeler Peak, while nearby Brown Lake is in a glacial moraine. Baker and Johnson Lakes are also in glacial cirques, with Baker Lake located at the top of Baker Creek and Johnson Lake above Snake Creek. Dead Lake, found above Snake Creek, is found in a glacial terminal moraine. All of these lakes are rather small, with an average surface area of 2 acres and depths reaching no more than 20 feet. The majority of the water in them comes from snowmelt, although Teresa and Johnson Lakes also have springs flowing into them. During the summer, a large amount of water evaporates off the water surface and the lakes decrease, leaving behind what appears to be bathtub-like rings around some of them. These rings give us a clue as to how high the water was at various times. Baker Lake contains two species of introduced fish. Brook Trout and Lahontan Cutthroat Trout. All of the lakes contain phytoplankton, zooplankton, and aquatic insects. |
Last updated: September 1, 2021