Lake Indawarra

{{refimprove|date=June 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date= March 2018}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Lake Indawarra | native_name = | native_name_lang = | other_name =  | image = | alt = | caption = | image_bathymetry = | alt_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry =  | location = Murray Mallee, South Australia, Australia | group = | coordinates = {{Coord|35|53|18.3|S|140|3|34.3|E|display=inline,title}} | type = artificial lake | etymology = | part_of = | inflow = | rivers = | outflow = | oceans = | catchment =  | basin_countries = | agency = | designation = | date-built =  | engineer = | date-flooded =  | length =  | width =  | area =  | depth =  | max-depth =  | volume =  | residence_time = | salinity = | shore =  | elevation =  | temperature_high =  | temperature_low =  | frozen = | islands = | islands_category = | sections = | trenches = | benches = | cities =  | pushpin_map = Australia | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of the artificial lake in Australia. | pushpin_map_caption =  | website = | reference = }} '''Lake Indawarra''' is an artificial lake, created as a rubble pit for railway construction, located in the town of {{SAcity|Tintinara}} in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia. The lake was created by railroad workers in 1905 as a railway reservoir<ref>{{Cite news |date=1984-04-04 |title=Border Chronicle |work=Victor Harbour Times |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article185634003 |access-date=2023-04-20}}</ref> and was given its name in the 1980s. It is an important part of Tintinara's identity, a popular place for picnics, camping, swimming and canoeing. thumb|The banks of Bird Island, from underwater.

==Etymology== The lake was named after a small competition was held by the local council whereby the local student body of Tintinara chose the name.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nicholls |first=Elizabeth |title=Shut six gates : a history of Tintinara, Culburra and district |publisher=Tintinara Historical Society |year=2006 |isbn=0-646-46304-7 |location=Tintinara, S. Aust. |oclc=122312092}}</ref> Unlike the town name, Indawarra is a made-up variation of local aboriginal words.

==Pollution and cleanup== In the early 1990s the lake filled in with sulfur rich sediment. As the lake was no longer appealing, visitors to the area started dumping their rubbish in it. The lake started drying out in summer, smelling, and habitat to mosquito larvae.

In 2007, the school and various community groups decided to clean out the lake. Local community members dug out a portion of the built up sediment. Local school students planted trees and built picnic spots on one day a week. A small island was built in the middle of the lake and named it "Bird Island". thumb|Stonewort Meadow, Lake Indawarra, South Australia Lake Indawarra is now a suitable place for water sports again, including kayaking and snorkeling. There is a range of aquatic plants and algae establishing across the lake floor and plenty of damselfly larvae. There are also ducks breeding on Bird Island.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Border Chronicle |year=2011}}</ref> Near the lake, there is a free campsite and there are plans for further work to clean up and reintroduce fish to the waterbody.

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.deltaenvironmental.com.au/archives/Lake.pdf Lake Indawarra concept and vegetation plan]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [http://www.redbubble.com/people/barbjk/art/2786013-lake-indawarra Photo of Lake Indawarra]{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [http://www.patricksecker.com/news/articleprint.asp?action=article&ID=289&pf=true Tintinara Action Club project]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Indawarra, Lake}} Category:Lakes of South Australia Category:Artificial lakes of Australia