Carter Lake, Iowa Located in Nebraska

This video shows an aerial map of Carter Lake at the Iowa-Nebraska border. Carter Lake is an Oxbow lake. Drivers might get confused while traveling to the Nebraska airport because they will drive past a sign that says “Welcome to Iowa.” In 1877 a massive gorge of melting ice blocked the Missouri River which runs between Iowa and Nebraska. The flooding river shifted and in a matter of hours, Carter Lake, Iowa, was now in Nebraska. 

• How was Carter Lake formed?

• What is an oxbow lake and how is it formed?
• How does water change the shape of the land?
• What other factors change the shape of the land?

Students could:

• Search for Carter Lake on a geographic map server, such as Iowa Geographic Map Server. Point out the border between Iowa and Nebraska. Have students make claims about why Carter Lake, Iowa, is on the other side of the Missouri River.
• Point out the flow of the river on geographic map. Draw a line where the river flowed before it shifted. Have students discuss what could lead to a shift like this.  
• Create a model of a river with lots of curves. Add water to your model and make observations about the water flow.
• Research other oxbow lakes and how they were formed.

• Iowa PBS | Iowa PBS Explores : The Cut-Off Lake: A short video that explain the history of Carter Lake and how it formed.
• City of Carter Lake: A guide to Carter Lake with information about how it formed.
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) | Carter Lake: Download a printable lake map from Iowa DNR.
• Conde Nast Traveler | You Have to Drive to Iowa to Get to This Nebraska Airport: An article about the history of how Carter Lake was formed. This contains a photograph of the sign referenced in the phenomena video.
• Iowa Geographic Map Server: This site contains a geographic map of Iowa.
• Carter Lake: an Oxbow Lake: This is an extended clip of the phenomena video, containing information about how Carter Lake was formed.