Dry Lake, Kansas

Dry Lake
Scott County, Kansas
J.S. and S.W. Aber

Introduction

Dry Lake is an ephemeral lake situated in an enclosed drainage basin on the High Plains of west-central Kansas. Dry Lake is ~3 miles (4 km) long and about half a km wide, when full, which is a rare occurrence. This region is semiarid, typically receiving less than 20 inches (50 cm) of precipitation per year. Annual snowfall and rain amounts vary greatly from year to year, and the region is subject to recurring droughts.

The lake has become a focus for multi-year observations with kite aerial photography. We first conducted KAP at Dry Lake in May 2007 in the company of Cheryl Unruh and Dave Leiker, who assisted us. We subsequently have returned to document the response of the lake to annual climatic variations in this relatively dry region. Brenda Zabriskie and Gayla Corley joined our efforts in 2010-11. We hope to continue this endeavor for several more years in the future.

**Kite aerial photographs, May 2007**
Moderate breeze from southwest, clear sky,
*Sutton Flowform* 16, *Canon S70* camera rig.
	Overview toward northeast. Lake is completely full of water following heavy winter snow and spring rain runoff. Sun glint in lower right portion highlights wind-driven wave patterns on the water.
	Overview toward southwest. Waves are eroding sediment from the shore and shallow lake floor. Note small overturned boat at lower left.
	Closer view of southern shore with small boat. Salt cedar bushes grow along bank that marks the edge of the lake basin.
	Ground crew, from left: Cheryl Unruh, JSA, SWA, and Dave Leiker.

Kite aerial photographs, May 2008
Strong SSE wind, small delta on high-wind
bridle, completely clear sky, JSA & SWA.

Overview toward northeast. Water of previous year has evaporated. A moist mud flat occupies the center of the basin with a salt flat around the margin. A series of descending shorelines can be seen in the pattern of salt accumulation.
Overview toward southwest. The contrast with the previous year is most dramatic. Although little water is present at the surface, the mud and salt flats are quite wet; impossible to walk far from the vegetated edge without sinking into the saturated soil.
Closer view of the southern margin of the dry lake basin. Distinctive zones and patterns are visible in the salt and mud. This salt has a definite "table salt" taste.
Ground crew (JSA & SWA) conducting KAP from the southern side of Dry Lake with the small boat in the same spot as the previous year.
Closeup shot of the small boat overturned at the edge of the lake basin. As far as we could tell by comparing pictures, this boat had not moved since the previous year.

**Kite aerial photographs, May 2008**
Strong SSE wind, small delta on high-wind
bridle, completely clear sky, JSA & SWA.
	Overview toward northeast. Water of previous year has evaporated. A moist mud flat occupies the center of the basin with a salt flat around the margin. A series of descending shorelines can be seen in the pattern of salt accumulation.
	Overview toward southwest. The contrast with the previous year is most dramatic. Although little water is present at the surface, the mud and salt flats are quite wet; impossible to walk far from the vegetated edge without sinking into the saturated soil.
	Closer view of the southern margin of the dry lake basin. Distinctive zones and patterns are visible in the salt and mud. This salt has a definite "table salt" taste.
	Ground crew (JSA & SWA) conducting KAP from the southern side of Dry Lake with the small boat in the same spot as the previous year.
	Closeup shot of the small boat overturned at the edge of the lake basin. As far as we could tell by comparing pictures, this boat had not moved since the previous year.

Kite aerial photographs, May 2009
Strong NNE wind, small delta on high-wind
bridle, cloudy to clear sky, JSA solo.

Panorama toward the west under partly cloudy sky. Water fills most of the basin except for a narrow mud flat around the edge.
Overview toward southwest under clear sky looking toward the late afternoon sun, which reflects from the water surface. This view helps to define the boundary between water and wet mud flat.
Overview toward the northeast. A narrow fringe of wet mud and salt surrounds open water in the lake. Streaks on water indicate wind at 20-30 mph.
Hard crash in pasture south of lake. Tilt servo gear broken, antenna pulled off radio receiver, and titanium frame bent. The result of solo KAP under difficult conditions. Canon S70 camera and kite were undamaged, however, and the rig could be repaired.

**Kite aerial photographs, May 2009**
Strong NNE wind, small delta on high-wind
bridle, cloudy to clear sky, JSA solo.
	Panorama toward the west under partly cloudy sky. Water fills most of the basin except for a narrow mud flat around the edge.
	Overview toward southwest under clear sky looking toward the late afternoon sun, which reflects from the water surface. This view helps to define the boundary between water and wet mud flat.
	Overview toward the northeast. A narrow fringe of wet mud and salt surrounds open water in the lake. Streaks on water indicate wind at 20-30 mph.
	Hard crash in pasture south of lake. Tilt servo gear broken, antenna pulled off radio receiver, and titanium frame bent. The result of solo KAP under difficult conditions. Canon S70 camera and kite were undamaged, however, and the rig could be repaired.

Kite aerial photographs, May 2010
Strong south wind, small delta,
clear sky, JSA & Brenda Zabriskie

Overviews looking toward the northeast (left) and southwest (right). Lake is partly full of orange-brown water, and a dry mud flat surrounds the shoreline. Shortgrass prairie is exceptionally green following a wet spring.

Eastward view over the southern margin of Dry Lake. The red boat seen on the shore in previous years (above) has been moved up onto the prairie (bottom center).
The spotty, pale-green zone in left-center of this scene is a prairie dog town, now protected behind an electric fence.

**Kite aerial photographs, May 2010**
Strong south wind, small delta,
clear sky, JSA & Brenda Zabriskie
	Overviews looking toward the northeast (left) and southwest (right). Lake is partly full of orange-brown water, and a dry mud flat surrounds the shoreline. Shortgrass prairie is exceptionally green following a wet spring.

Blimp and kite aerial photographs, October 2010
JSA, SWA, Gayla Corley & Brenda Zabriskie

Lake is completely dried out with a heavy salt crust well out into the basin. Left: overview from eastern end looking toward the west. Right: view over the western end.

Closeup vertical shot over the southern margin showing distinctive patterns in the salt and mud surface of the dry lake floor. Two people are standing left of center, and the red boat can be seen on the lower left edge.

**Blimp and kite aerial photographs, October 2010**
JSA, SWA, Gayla Corley & Brenda Zabriskie
	Lake is completely dried out with a heavy salt crust well out into the basin. Left: overview from eastern end looking toward the west. Right: view over the western end.

**Kite aerial photographs, May 2011**
Variable, light, north wind, partly cloudy; large rokkaku
JSA, Brenda Zabriskie & Gayla Corley

Panoramic overview from the eastern end looking westward. Lake remains dry, but most surface salt is gone and mud is quite soft. Saline water is just a few inches below the surface and tastes like sea water.

	Left: western end of Dry Lake basin. Notice how brown the surrounding prairie grass is compared with May of previous year. Right: view across the center of Dry Lake with green winter wheat fields in the background. Lake floor conditions are similar to May 2008.
	Kite flyers in open prairie south of the lake basin near the eastern end.

Thanks to local landowners for permission to conduct aerial photography.

Prairie dangers at Dry Lake
Left: prickly pear cactus.
Right: small rattlesnake.

	Eastward view over the southern margin of Dry Lake. The red boat seen on the shore in previous years (above) has been moved up onto the prairie (bottom center).
	The spotty, pale-green zone in left-center of this scene is a prairie dog town, now protected behind an electric fence.