This was the last lake of its kind in Canada. Now it's gone

Muzammil Hussain September 17, 2026

A man in a heavy jacket uses a pole to poke a hole in the ice of a lake near some spheres attached to another pole.

Canada's last epishelf lake — made up of freshwater floating on saltwater — is gone, along with the unique ecosystem it supported, scientists confirm. Here's what made the lake special, and what its disappearance says about the transformation of the Arctic in a warming climate.

Canada's last epishelf lake — made up of freshwater floating on saltwater — is gone, along with the unique ecosystem it supported, scientists confirm. Here's what made the lake special, and what its disappearance says about the transformation of the Arctic in a warming climate. A man in a heavy jacket uses a pole to poke a hole in the ice of a lake near some spheres attached to another pole.

Canada's last epishelf lake — made up of freshwater floating on saltwater — is gone, along with the unique ecosystem it supported, scientists confirm. Here's what made the lake special, and what its disappearance says about the transformation of the Arctic in a warming climate.

News/Science