Our daughters, Robin and Casey, named this place Disappearing Lake because each year they've watched the lake gradually disappear. Vernal lakes are temporary water systems created by rainwater or by snow melting in the spring. Disappearing Lake is one of many vernal lakes and ponds that are scattered across Alaska, and in many regions around the world. As temperatures rise and the snow vanishes, the lakes gradually disappear as the water seeps into the ground and evaporates. What once was a lake or pond, often becomes a meadow.
Vernal ecosystems provide important habitats for a fascinating web of life.
Fairy shrimp thrive for a few brief weeks, laying their eggs before the water disappears. Migratory birds use vernal lakes as critical resting and feeding areas. Meadows provide foraging habitats for birds and for mammals such as caribou, moose, and voles. Each creature depends on this changing wilderness to meet its own special needs. Disappearing Lake has always been a magical place for our daughters.