00:03Each spring, Oregon's lost lake seemingly vanishes magically.
00:09The stunning alpine lake exists due to rain and melting snow, filling the basin every winter.
00:16As seasons change, water drains away and a lush meadow takes its place.
00:22The lake's annual vanishing act is due to a six-foot-wide sinkhole along one shore.
00:28This hole is an ancient lava tube formed over 12,000 years ago from volcanic eruptions in Oregon's Cascade Range.
00:36When hot lava cooled, it left cave-like passages.
00:41Lost Lake is fed by mountain streams, peaking during winter rains and snowmelt.
00:46When dry weather arrives, inflow lessens while water continues draining through the lava tube.
00:52By summer, the water is gone, replaced by a green, flower-filled meadow.
00:58The water seeps through porous volcanic rock into underground aquifers, with some emerging miles away in springs that sustain Clear Lake and the Mackenzie River.
01:08Attempts to plug the hole have failed due to the ground's porosity.
01:13This cycle creates diverse ecosystems.
01:16The exposed lake bed becomes a vibrant meadow with wildflowers, grasses, and insects.
01:24Wildlife adapts to the changing landscape, utilizing different habitats during wet and dry phases.
01:31Similar phenomena occur in nearby lakes, like Fish Lake, due to underlying volcanic features.
01:37Located near Sisters and Hoodoo Ski Resort, Lost Lake transforms from a 79-acre alpine river in winter to a meadow by summer,
01:48supporting seasonal plants and wildlife through its natural cycle.
01:52Discovering the screen is about to honor the entire canal to the metal tunnel.
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