Forests as the Lungs of Our Planet: How Trees Quietly Shape the Climate We Depend On

[00:00:00] The only lake that drains into both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Isa Lake in Yellowstone national park has the unique feature of draining into both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. [00:00:11] Located in Yellowstone between the Old Faithful Geyser and West Thumb, Isa Lake sits directly on the North American Continental Divide, specifically along the Rocky Mountains. This mountain range runs through North America, splitting river systems to flow east or west toward different oceans, according to IFL science. [00:00:31] As a result of this unique position, the eastern part of ESA Lake drains into the Lewis River, a tributary of the Columbia river, which flows into the Pacific Ocean. [00:00:41] Meanwhile, the western part of the lake flows into the Firehole River, a tributary of the Madison river, which eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico and connects to the Atlantic Ocean via the Florida Straits. [00:00:54] Issa Lake rests on a mountain pass at an elevation of 2,518 meters. [00:01:03] In spring, when melting snow causes the lake to overflow, water flows in both directions. Because Isa Lake is in a basin, it only drains to the oceans when water levels are sufficiently high. [00:01:16] In recent winters, however, Yellowstone's snowfall hasn't been enough to fill the lake, turning Issa into a closed lake. With water flowing in but not out for most of the year, Issa Lake's water evaporates under the sun rather than flowing toward the oceans. [00:01:33] A similar phenomenon occurs at Lake Ladoga near St. Petersburg, Russia. Near the Finnish border. [00:01:40] Most of Lake Ladoga drains into the Gulf of Finland via the Neva river, eventually reaching the Baltic Sea. However, it also connects with tributaries of the Volga river system which which flows to the Caspian Sea. Another example is the Nrodeim river in southern Kosovo. Located near the city of Ferezaj, this river splits into two branches, known as a bifurcation. The left branch flows toward the Black Sea, while the right branch reaches the Aegean Sea, making it the only river in Europe that flows into two seas.