Lake Abert Ice Age
Standing on the shores of Lake Abert in Oregon provides a glimpse into the past, of an ancient body of fresh water that once supported large populations of animal and plant life. Now, over fifteen centuries later, Lake Abert is a shrunken remnant of the giant Lake Chewaucan from the Pleistocene era, or Ice Age. Runoff water from the surrounding escarpment helps the basin retain some water today, though it is highly concentrated with salt as evident in the dried lake bed and rocky shorelines.