February 14th, 2013 Category: Lakes, Salt Flats

Australia – January 26th, 2013

Several salt lakes that usually remain dry can be observed in this image of South Australia. By the top center is Lake Torrens.  Usually a dry salt flat, it has only been filled with water once in the past 150 years. Thunderstorms occasionally provide a small amount of water in the lake, when this occurs the area attracts a variety of birdlife.

Visible to its west is Lake Gairdner, a large endorheic lake in central South Australia, in the Gawler Ranges. When it is flooded, it is considered the fourth largest salt lake in Australia. The lake is over 160 km (99 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) across with salt over 1.2 metres (4 ft) thick in some places.

Tags: Gawler Ranges Lake Gairdner Lake Torrens South Australia | Comments |

April 24th, 2012 Category: Salt Flats

Australia - April 14th, 2012

The large white areas in the upper left quadrant of this image of Southern Australia are Lake Torrens and Lake Gairdner, two large salt lakes. The former lies between the Arcoona Plateau to the west and the Flinders Ranges to the east. It stretches approximately 200km in length and 30km in average width. It has a thin salt crust with red-brown clays beneath which are soft and boggy. Lake Gairdner is a large endorheic lake,  over 160 km long and 48 km across with salt over 1.2 metres (4 ft) thick in some places.

Tags: Arcoona Plateau Flinders Range Lake Gairdner Lake Torrens | Comments |

April 18th, 2011 Category: Image of the day, Lakes, Mountains, Salt Flats

Australia - March 31st, 2011

Several salt lakes appear as white salt flats in this image of South Australia, the largest of which are Lake Gardner (left) and Lake Torrens (right). Also visible in the full image is Lake Frome, further east.

Running between Lakes Torrens and Frome are the Flinders Ranges, the largest mountain range in South Australia. The ranges appear here as a dark brown area.

South of the ranges and Lake Torrens is the Spencer Gulf, appearing green from sediments and algal growth. To the southeast of Spencer Gulf, in the full image, is Gulf St. Vincent.

Tags: Flinders Ranges Gulf St. Vincent Lake Frome Lake Gardner Lake Torrens South Australia Spencer Gulf | Comments |

February 23rd, 2011 Category: Clouds, Lakes, Rivers, Salt Flats

Australia - January 31st, 2011

An interesting, ball-shaped area of convection can be observed in South Australia, north of the Spencer Gulf. This area of convection was present at the same time Tropical Cyclone Yasi (11P) was affecting Queensland, Australia, to the north.

Several of the rivers in Australia’s Channel Country can be observed as brown lines just northwest of the convective area. To the southwest, Lake Torrens and Lake Gardner appear as large white salt flats.

Tags: Area of convection Channel Country Lake Gardner Lake Torrens South Australia Spencer Gulf | Comments |