In the heart of the Australian desert, a silent metamorphosis is at work. Where salted plains stretched by heat, an expanse of water begins to mroist under the sun, fueled by torrential rains that have fallen hundreds of kilometers. The ephemeral lake of Australia, as vast as it is improbable, is reborn under the amazed eyes of local residents, scientists and travelers. This rare phenomenon, which upsets the apparent immobility of the outback, reveals in each appearance the quiet strength of natural cycles, capable of animating, the space of a few months, one of the most arid places on the planet.
This phenomenon is rare. Only three complete fillings of the lake were documented in 160 years. The satellite images broadcast by Earth Observatory show the water slowly progressing from north to south, until reaching the lowest points of Australia, located more than 15 meters under sea level. The contrast is striking between dry, white and cracked salt, and the dark waters which gradually cover it.
As the pool throats, the illusion of an inner sea settles. The Trevor Wright driver, a privileged air witness of the transformation, evokes a smooth surface like glass, where the setting sun is reflected. This rare and ephemeral spectacle already attracts thousands of visitors to the South Australian outback.
The return to the life of the ephemeral lake of Australia
Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is what geologists call an endoreic lake. He receives water, but never evacuated. The water stagnates there, then ends up evaporating, which makes its existence temporary. It is this characteristic that makes it the largest ephemeral lake in Australia and around the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
When the water flocked, life follows. Shrimp eggs sleeping in dry soil for years suddenly hatch. The fish that populate the swollen rivers go to the lake, attracted by the abundance of food. Birds from China or Japan travel thousands of kilometers to reproduce there. According to the government of Australia-meridional, the fauna wealth observed during these events is such that the lake becomes, for a few months, one of the most active sanctuaries in the southern hemisphere.
But the show is not limited to fauna. By evaporating, the water from the lake becomes more and more salty, offering an ideal ground for certain halophilic microorganisms. These tiny forms of life, such as red algae rich in pigments, give water a striking pink pink shade. Iflscience underlines that this colorful phenomenon sometimes evokes the rainbow sources of Yellowstone. It is an enchantment for the eyes, even if it is based on a rigorous biological process.
A rare and fragile ecosystem, between wonder and precautionary
The craze aroused by the rebirth of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is such that the roads leading to points of view, like Halligan Bay, are now frequented by travelers from all over the country. William Creek's hotel, one of the most isolated in the world, is a full display. However, this tourist crowd is not without consequences.
The authorities of the National Park, in collaboration with Aboriginal communities such as the Arabana and the Dieri, insist on the importance of protecting this exceptional site. Since 1985, strict rules have been supervising activities on the lake. It is forbidden to swim, navigate or land there by plane. The National Parks and Wildlife Service recalls that certain endangered bird species come to nest there and must be able to do so in peace.
Despite the hopes, the probability of a complete filling like that of 1974 remains weak. Experts, including the Ranger Travis Gotch district interviewed by ABC News, believe that water will likely reach the level of floods of 2010, two to three meters deep. However, this scenario will be enough to maintain life for several months, until the inevitable evaporation.
The lake will then become salt and dust again. But this enchanted parenthesis, the fruit of a fragile balance between climate, topography and biology, will remain in memories. Because in the heart of the Australian desert, each drop of rain can become the scene of a spectacular rebirth.
