Does a Lake Have to Be Landlocked?

More than 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered in water, so it’s unsurprising that we have so many different types of bodies of water. Rivers, oceans, lakes, ponds – there are many types to know. And sometimes, understanding the differences can be difficult – especially when most people can’t exactly agree on a definition.

For example, not everyone can agree on whether a lake has to be landlocked or not, but it’s a common question. The answer is simple: yes, a lake is landlocked. We’ll dive into a more thorough explanation below.

Let’s Discuss What “Landlocked” Means

The word landlocked is kind of self-explanatory. It means that something is locked in by land. When you’re talking about a country or a city, like Orlando, it means that it is completely or nearly completely enclosed by land or is away from the ocean. When referring to a body of water, it means there is no navigable or direct route to the sea.

Understanding the Definition of “Lake”

Now that you know exactly what landlocked means, let’s talk about lakes. There is often some discrepancy in the precise definition of a lake, but there is one similarity. Just about any definition you find will state that a lake is a “body of water that is surrounded by land.”

If landlocked means being surrounded by land and a lake is defined as being surrounded by land, then yes, a lake is landlocked. So why exactly can people not agree on whether lakes have to be landlocked? Well, there are a couple of different types of lakes that can make the definition confusing.

Let’s get into it in the next section.

Types of Lakes

There are actually several different types of lakes, including seepage lakes, drained lakes, spring lakes, and so on. However, for our purposes, we’re only going to focus on two categories of lakes: opened and closed.

Closed Lakes

A closed lake is exactly what it sounds like – it’s completely enclosed by land. There is no water flowing in or out. If water leaves … Read the rest of the story.