You might’ve read that headline and wondered what the heck a meromictic lake is. In most lakes in America, the different layers of water mix intermittently. In a meromictic lake, there is no mixing that occurs and the layers stay completely separate at all times. This is pretty rare, and only a few of these unique lakes are located in the country. One of these rare lakes is right here in New York: the beautiful Ballston Lake, which shares its name with the town it is located in.

Most lakes follow seasonal cycles as the temperature changes, in which the waters intermix. Some only mix once a year, other mix multiple times a year, often in regular cycles.
Hydrated/Wikimedia Commons
However, the much rarer meromictic lakes contain clearly-defined layers that never mix. There are only around 20 known lakes of this type in the United States, and we're lucky to have a few in New York.
Mitchell Joyce/Flickr
One of the largest is Ballston Lake, tucked away in the town that shares its name. The lake is a long, narrow lake that's a popular spot for fishing.
Ballston Lake Improvement Association

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The layers of a meromictic lake are strictly defined, causing each layer to have completely different environments for organisms living in the lake.
Ballston Lake Improvement Association
Since the bottom levels of the water in a meromictic lake never rise to the surface, the lower levels have almost no oxygen. This results in a harsh environment that particular bacteria thrive in, ones that do not require much oxygen for survival.
Ballston Lake Improvement Association
Meromictic lakes are typically caused by either a high level of saline in the lower levels of the water (causing it to be much denser than the upper layers) or lakes with unusually high sides.
Kelli Prestigiacomo/Google Maps
Since there is little sediment disturbed at the bottom of a meromictic lake (because no organisms live in the lowest layers), they're very useful for scientists. The scientists can study the sediment and track temperature changes over the years.
Kirsten Gaeding/Google Maps

Have you ever visited Ballston Lake? Did you know that it was a unique type of lake? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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