Earth’s water is constantly on the move, racing down rivers, churning around in oceans, and whirling through the air. Occasionally, though, a tiny portion settles down briefly and rests in large and small basins called lakes.
Lakes are bodies of water surrounded by land. They are found all over the world and are sometimes called “seas.” The Sea of Galilee, in Israel, the Caspian Sea, between Russia and Central Asia, and the Dead Sea, between Jordan and Israel, are all really lakes.
Most lakes enjoy brief lives, geologically speaking. After just a few thousand years, they become filled with sediment or drained by shifts in the Earth’s surface. When this happens, the water moves on to a new resting place.