Lake Alexandrina (South Australia)

Infobox lake
lake_name = Lake Alexandrina
image_lake = L'estuaire du Murray.jpg
caption_lake =
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location = South Australia
coords = coord|35|25|S|139|07|E|type:waterbody_region:AU-SA|display=inline,title
type =
inflow = Murray, Bremer, Angas, and Finniss Rivers
outflow = Murray Mouth
catchment =
basin_countries = Australia
length =
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Lake Alexandrina is a lake in South Australia, Australia, adjacent to the coast of the Southern Ocean, about 100 kilometres south-east of Adelaide.

Lake Alexandrina is located north of Encounter Bay and east of Fleurieu Peninsula. The Murray River is the major river to flow into Lake Alexandrina. Others include the Bremer, Angas, and Finniss Rivers, all from the eastern side of the southern Mount Lofty Ranges. The lake is shallow and contains a number of islands near the southern end. The lake empties into the sea near Goolwa (the channel is known as the Murray Mouth), but when the river flow is low the entrance is often blocked by a sand-bar. Originally a tidal estuary, the water in the lake is now maintained as fresh water by a series of barrages across the islands near the Murray Mouth. This has produced an annual requirement for more than 1 million megalitres of fresh water to replace losses from evaporation that once came from sea water.Hindmarsh Island is reputed to be the largest island in the world with salt water on one side and fresh water on the other. Lake Alexandrina is connected by a narrow channel to the smaller Lake Albert to the south-east.

The lake was named after Princess Alexandrina, niece and successor of King William IV of England. When the princess ascended the throne and took the name Queen Victoria there was some talk of changing the name of the lake to Lake Victoria, but the idea was dropped. [cite web |url=http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/a/a5.htm#alexandrina |title=Alexandrina, Lake |work=Place Names of South Australia |publisher=State Library of South Australia |accessdate=2007-01-12]

In Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime the lake is inhabited by a monster known as the Muldjewangk.

In 2008, water levels in Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert became so low that large quantities of acid sulphate soils started to form. The barrages now prevent the drought time sea water inflows that have prevented this phenomena in every drought since the last ice age. [cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/murraydarling/|title=Catalyst - Fire, Flood and Acid Mud|accessdate=2008-05-07]

References