The disappearing lake is located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. (Photo: Martin Siepmann/Getty Images) AT A GLANCE
Name: Lugarema, or the Vanishing Lake
Location: County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Coordinates: 55.157034137386944, -6.1079272599514285
The reason for its uniqueness: The reservoir can disappear in just a few hours.
Lougarema, also known as the Vanishing Lake, is an intermittent lake in Northern Ireland with a unique geological structure that is still not fully understood by scientists.
Three streams flow into the reservoir, but the only outlet of water is through a bottom drain, which periodically becomes clogged and breaks through, which causes sharp fluctuations in the water level.
According to the Geological Society, Vanishing Lake can be full in the morning and virtually dry by midday due to runoff and a mysterious underground drainage system that transports water to a large spring on the Cary River 2.5 km away. Experts are unsure how this system works or when it formed, but its effectiveness in draining the lake is astounding.
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“Lugarima is a changing landscape and it is always interesting to anticipate the current state of the lake as you approach it,” Paul Wilson, a hydrogeologist at the British Geological Survey in Belfast, told the Geological Society. “The water is drained into an underground drainage system whose details remain a mystery to us.”
Along with the incoming water, debris enters the lake, settles on the bottom and gradually blocks the flow. When the hole is completely blocked, the water level rises rapidly. However, when the critical point is reached, the water pressure suddenly clears the blockage, causing the reservoir to quickly empty.
A narrow road runs through the middle of the lake, today elevated enough to allow safe passage even at high water levels. The lake is located in a remote area, surrounded by peat bogs – a treeless ecosystem with swampy soil and frequent fog.
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According to legend, in the 19th century, a group of people in a horse-drawn carriage attempted to cross the lake at night and perished in the waters. Folklore claims that the ghosts of the carriage still roam the shores, appearing at night when the lake is full.
Explore more amazing places where we uncover fascinating scientific and historical secrets of Earth's unique landscapes.
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Sasha PareSocial Link NavigationStaff Writer
Sasha is a regular contributor to Live Science based in the UK. She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Southampton and an MA in Science Communication from Imperial College London. Her work has appeared in The Guardian and on health platform Zoe. Outside of writing, she enjoys tennis, baking, and thrift-shopping.
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