How are some man-made lakes so deep? And where does the water come from and how can that much water be transported? It seems impossible to me that we can fill lakes that are 250+ feet deep.
In: Engineering
The principles of lakes, man-made or not, are quite simple: Water flows downhill. Normally this would form a small stream, then combine together to form larger streams and rivers until it all eventually reaches an ocean.
Lakes are formed by localized areas of lower elevation, such that there is no unobstructed downward path. At that point water can do nothing but pool, forming puddles which eventually grow to become ponds and lakes. They will grow until the water rises to the point it can flow over whatever barrier prevented it from flowing, like a cup becoming overfull.
A man-made lake then is formed by simply blocking a river or stream. The height of the barrier and the surrounding terrain will determine how large the resulting pond or lake will become. Given the right circumstances a relatively small barrier or “dam” can create a very deep lake!
All of this relies on the natural water cycle to provide the appropriate inflow; nobody is digging a hole and trucking in water to fill it in order to make lakes.
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