A pink lake is a lake that has a red or pink colour. This is often caused by the presence of salt-tolerant algae that produces carotenoids, such as Dunaliella salina, usually in conjunction with specific bacteria and archaea, which may vary from lake to lake. The most common archaeon is Halobacterium salinarum.
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👉 Pink lake in the context of Hypersaline lake
A hypersaline lake is a landlocked body of water that contains significant concentrations of sodium chloride, brines, and other salts, with saline levels surpassing those of ocean water (3.5%, i.e. 35 grams per litre or 0.29 pounds per US gallon).
Specific microbial species can thrive in high-salinity environments that are inhospitable to most lifeforms, including some that are thought to contribute to the color of pink lakes. Some of these species enter a dormant state when desiccated, and some species are thought to survive for over 250 million years.
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Pink lake in the context of Salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per liter). In some cases, salt lakes have a higher concentration of salt than sea water; such lakes can also be termed hypersaline lake, and may also be pink lakes on account of their color. An alkalic salt lake that has a high content of carbonate is sometimes termed a soda lake.
Salt lakes are classified according to salinity levels. The formation of these lakes is influenced by processes such as evaporation and deposition. Salt lakes face serious conservation challenges due to climate change, pollution and water diversion.
Pink lake in the context of Lake Bumbunga
Lake Bumbunga is a salt lake located in the Mid North of the state of South Australia, between the town of Lochiel and the farming locality of Bumbunga, approximately 1.5 hours' drive from Adelaide. It is a pink lake, with its colour due to certain algae.
Salt has been mined there almost continuously since 1881, and it has become a tourist attraction, along with its "Loch Eel Monster" sculpture in the middle of it.
Pink lake in the context of Lake Retba
Lake Retba, also known as Lac Rose (meaning "pink lake"), lies north of the Cap Vert peninsula in Senegal, some 35 km (22 mi) north-east of the capital, Dakar, in northwest Africa. It is named for its pink waters caused by Dunaliella salina algae and is known for its high salt content, up to 40% in some areas. Its colour is usually particularly strong from late January to early March, during the dry season. Flooding in September 2022 not only disrupted salt harvesting activities on the lake, but also led the lake to lose its colour, causing a negative effect on tourism. However, as of 2025, the lake has regained some of its colour.
The lake is as of 2025 under consideration by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Pink lake in the context of Pink Lake (Victoria)
Pink Lake (historically known as Lake Lochiel) is a small, circular, salty pink lake on the Western Highway just north of Dimboola, Australia. Granville Stapylton, part of the explorer Thomas Mitchell's 1836 expedition into western Victoria, reconnoitered Pink Lake on 20 July 1836.
The lake received its name from its distinctive pink colour. The brightness of the hue varies according to the level of rainfall. Until recently it was assumed that red algae created the pink hue; however, recent research reported by Australian Geographic describes the colour as result of a pigment produced by the Salinibacter ruber bacteria.