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Why Are There So Many Lakes in Wisconsin?
By Product Expert | Posted in Community, Local Favorites on Wednesday, September 16th, 2020 at 7:38 pm
An Explanation of How and Why There are So Many Lakes in Wisconsin
With up to 15,000 lakes in Wisconsin, there’s plenty of boating, fishing, and sightseeing to check out wherever you go. We even have one right nearby our Random Lake location! But why are there so many lakes in Wisconsin? At Eric von Schledorn, we look at a process of how many of them were formed in our great state.
Many of Wisconsin’s Lakes Began with a Glacier
Many of Wisconsin’s lakes were first formed due to the glaciation period of its past. About 25,000 years ago, much of the state was covered by a large glacier. Over the course of thousands of years, the glacier slowly moved south, pushing and carrying sediment with it to reform the ground beneath. This continued until about 14,000 to 16,000 years ago when the ice began retreating and returning.
The last major advance came 10,000 years ago until it began receding for good. For thousands of years after, glacial melting caused six lobes of ice to melt on Wisconsin’s landscape. This includes the “Green Bay Lobe,” which helped to form Lake Winnebago, the Fox River, and many of our local lakes. The mix of excess water and sediment picked up in the advances deposited onto the landscape below, causing much lake formation in the years to come. The sheer amount of space covered by glaciers, and the sudden melting, is a major reason why Wisconsin has so many lakes.
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How Were the Lakes in Wisconsin First Formed?
Due to the receding of said glacial lobes, much of the sediment and rocks began to reshape the landscape beneath the glacier. It formed numerous different geographical forms – most notably as moraines, kettles, and drumlins.
Much of where the original sediment congregated together were called “moraines,” and these ridge-like formations were filled with larger, buried glacial chunks. As larger hunks of ice melted under the sediment, large depressions in the earth (kettles) became spots where the ice melted and now stand as lakes. This is most notably found in the Random Lake and Fox Valley areas, as they are a part of the Kettle Moraine.
Enjoy Wisconsin’s Beauty with Us at Eric von Schledorn!
With much of the glacial deposits as lakes in our area, there are a ton of places to explore to find more history and remnants of Wisconsin’s history through its lakes. However, you may need a ride to get there. Check out our inventory on the new and pre-owned Chevy, Buick, Cadillac, and Ford models that will definitely help you reach some of Wisconsin’s greatest lakes!
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