​​​​​​​LAC ROSE, Senegal

The pink waters of Lac Rose in Senegal have returned after it turned green nearly three years ago because of heavy rains and floods.

Located 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) from Dakar, it is known as "Retba" in the local Wolof language. Pink Lake is among the saltiest lakes in the world.

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Senegal's Pink Lake regains its color after 3 years

The lake takes on its pink hues due to the presence of "Dunaliella salina" algae and holds significant tourist and economic importance for Senegal.

The lake, which has been used as the end point of the Paris-Dakar Rally for years, is one of the first natural beauties that comes to mind when Senegal is mentioned.

Pink Lake is also noted for its salt production, an important resource for the Senegalese economy. Approximately 60,000 tons of salt are extracted from the lake annually. It is where 3,000 people earn a living.

Salt production occurs from November to June, the dry season, in the lake, which has a maximum depth of 3 meters (10 feet).

Seasonal workers, usually from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, extract salt by hand.

Source of pink color is green alga

The pink color of the lake is caused by the proliferation of the salt-loving (halophilic) green algae called Dunaliella salina.

The microscopic algae produce a red pigment to protect themselves and adapt to the salty environment, thus giving the lake a pink color.

As the salinity level in the lake, which contains approximately 400 grams of salt per liter, decreases, the algae become unable to produce pigment and the lake begins to turn green.

Pink Lake, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage candidate list, has been searching for its pink color since 2022.

Greened in heavy rainfall

Excessive rainfall in Dakar and the surrounding areas in 2022 caused floods that lasted for weeks in the affected regions.

As a last resort, the flood waters were discharged directly into Pink Lake, and the water level in the lake rose from 3 meters to 6.

The increase in the water levels also reduced the salt concentration in the lake, preventing the algae from producing red pigments.

The lake’s greening not only altered its appearance but also negatively impacted tourism and salt mining in the region.

To restore the lake’s pink color, excess water was drained into a nearby basin, lowering the water level back to its original state.