Is This Massive Montana Lake Truly the Clearest in the Entire World?
Montanans, myself included, really enjoy our time at the lake. Some like to fish, swim, boat, or even go out on a canoe or kayak. Of course, it's getting to be that time of year when going to the lake is just going to be too cold, but I've got to know if the largest lake in the Treasure State is as clear as many people on Twitter make it out to be.
This is the Tweet That Sparked my Interest
These photos highlight Flathead Lake, which is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the continental United States. It's located in the Northwest corner of Montana, and it's remarkably beautiful. This tweet also shows its crystal clarity, being able to sometimes see the bottom of the lake despite having depths of up to 370 feet.
According to the Flathead Lakers, the reason for the clarity of the lake comes from the relatively low concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen in the water. These nutrients are vital for the production of algae, which would normally cloud the water and make it look more murky and dark.
It Looks Clear Enough, But Other Lakes in the World Are Indeed Clearer
In response to the viral tweet, the website VERIFY posted a video on their YouTube channel detailing that, while clearer than the average lake, there are four bodies of water in the United States that are clearer based on Secchi disk measurements. In fact, the clearest body of water isn't even on this continent; New Zealand claims the clearest water of any lake on the Earth. Check out which one by watching the video below.
However, despite all of this news, I still believe that Flathead Lake is one of the coolest and best locations for a vacation destination. Check it out next time you're wanting to take a beautiful summer vacation somewhere.