Lake Anneen
Encyclopedia
Lake Anneen, sometimes referred to as Anneen Lake or (incorrectly) Nannine Lake, is a DIWA
-listed salt lake
system in Western Australia
. It is located at 26°56′S 118°18′E, about 40 kilometres southwest of Meekatharra.
The lake is roughly 12000 hectares in area, and consists of a main waterbody with two elongate arms. The main waterbody is roughly rectangular, with its long side oriented along a north-westerly axis. A narrow arm, essentially a network of anastomosing
creeks, arises from near the eastern edge, stretching north almost to Meekatharra; the lake receives inflow from this arm and also some smaller creeks on the west and north side. Drainage is via the other arm, which arises from near the western edge and reaches almost to headwaters of the Hope River
, into which Lake Anneen flows following heavy rains. A low ridge nearly divides the lake roughly in two, and the Great Northern Highway
now runs along this ridge.
Lake Annean is shallow, with a great many islands and peninsulas. Some parts of the lake almost always hold water, but the entire lake fills only after flooding caused by tropical summer and autumn rains. This occurs only every five to ten years.
It is one of the most important breeding sites in Western Australia for Gelochelidon nilotica (Gull-billed Tern) and Chlidonias hybridus (Whiskered Tern}. It is also an important refuge for other waterbirds, the nearest adjacent wetland, Wooleen Lake, being nearly 200 kilometres away.
The ghost town
of Nannine is located on the northern banks of Lake Annean. The lake is no longer currently subject to any human use, except for some recreational sailboarding by residents of the area. Potential degrading processes include pastoral
grazing; grazing and predation by feral and introduced animals; the illicit picking of wildflowers, and pollution by the highway or nearby gold mines.
A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia
A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia is a list of wetlands of national importance to Australia. Intended to augment the list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, it was formerly published in report form, but is now essentially an online publication...
-listed salt lake
Salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water which has a concentration of salts and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes . In some cases, salt lakes have a higher concentration of salt than sea water, but such lakes would also be termed hypersaline lakes...
system in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. It is located at 26°56′S 118°18′E, about 40 kilometres southwest of Meekatharra.
The lake is roughly 12000 hectares in area, and consists of a main waterbody with two elongate arms. The main waterbody is roughly rectangular, with its long side oriented along a north-westerly axis. A narrow arm, essentially a network of anastomosing
Anastomosis
An anastomosis is the reconnection of two streams that previously branched out, such as blood vessels or leaf veins. The term is used in medicine, biology, mycology and geology....
creeks, arises from near the eastern edge, stretching north almost to Meekatharra; the lake receives inflow from this arm and also some smaller creeks on the west and north side. Drainage is via the other arm, which arises from near the western edge and reaches almost to headwaters of the Hope River
Hope River (Western Australia)
Hope River is a river in central Western Australia. It is a tributary of the Yalgar River, which is in turn a tributary of the Murchison River. It arises from Lake Anneen about 40 kilometres southwest of Meekatharra, and flows in a north-westerly direction for about 102 kilometres before disgorging...
, into which Lake Anneen flows following heavy rains. A low ridge nearly divides the lake roughly in two, and the Great Northern Highway
Great Northern Highway
The Great Northern Highway is a generally north-south Western Australian highway which links the state's capital Perth with its most northern port, Wyndham. It is in length, with being National Highway...
now runs along this ridge.
Lake Annean is shallow, with a great many islands and peninsulas. Some parts of the lake almost always hold water, but the entire lake fills only after flooding caused by tropical summer and autumn rains. This occurs only every five to ten years.
It is one of the most important breeding sites in Western Australia for Gelochelidon nilotica (Gull-billed Tern) and Chlidonias hybridus (Whiskered Tern}. It is also an important refuge for other waterbirds, the nearest adjacent wetland, Wooleen Lake, being nearly 200 kilometres away.
The ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
of Nannine is located on the northern banks of Lake Annean. The lake is no longer currently subject to any human use, except for some recreational sailboarding by residents of the area. Potential degrading processes include pastoral
Pastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
grazing; grazing and predation by feral and introduced animals; the illicit picking of wildflowers, and pollution by the highway or nearby gold mines.