Principal Lakes B of the United States

Mi

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 476 Principal Lakes of the United States

By Conrad D. Bue

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 476

Washington 1963 United States Department of the Interior ROGERS C. B. MORION, Secretary

Geological Survey V. E. McKelvey, Director

First printing 1963 Second printing 1964 Third printing 1965 Fourth printing 1967 Fifth printing 1970 Sixth printing 1973

Free on application to the U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. 20244 CONTENTS

Page Page Abstract.______1 Depth oflakes______11 Introduction______1 Amount of water in lakes______11 Acknowledgments.______2 Saline lakes ______12 Origin of natural lakes ______2 Artificial reservoirs ______17 The Great Lakes ______5 Selected bibliography ______21 Natural fresh-water lakes ______6

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page Figure 1. Photograph of Crater Lake, Oregon.______3 2. Photograph of Wallowa Lake, Oregon ______4 3. Schematic section of Great Lakes ______5 4. Sketch map of Utah, showing outline of Lake Bonneville and Great Salt Lake______13 5. Photograph of Lake Mead at marina in National Recreation Area______20

TABLES

Page Table 1. Statistical data on the Great Lakes______6 2. Natural fresh-water lakes of 10 square miles or more, excluding the Great Lakes, arranged by States ______7 3. Natural fresh-water lakes of 100 square miles or more, excluding the Great Lakes, ranked by size______11 4. Natural fresh-water lakes 250 feet deep or more, ranked by depth______12 5. Principal saline lakes ______15 6. Largest artificial reservoirs of 10 square miles or more in each State ______19

III Principal Lakes of the United States

By Conrad D. Bue

ABSTRACT Some of the lakes listed in this report have The United States has about 250 fresh-water lakes that are dams at their outlets so that the lakes can be known to have surface areas of 10 square miles or more. regulated between prescribed levels, and thus Nearly 100 of these are in Alaska, and 100 in Minnesota, provide a certain amount of artificial storage Wisconsin, Michigan, New York,, and Maine. (Thomas and Harbeck, 1956). The areas of Thirty-four fresh-water lakes, exclusive of the Great those lakes are the average areas under pres­ Lakes, are known to have maximum depths of 250 feet or ent regulation. With some possible exceptions, more. Twenty of these are in Alaska, and Alaska undoubt­ edly has more lakes of that depth which have not been it is unlikely that the areas of regulated lakes sounded. have been changed very much by artificial regulation. The amount of water stored in natural lakes even ex­ clusive of the Great Lakes is much greater than the amount stored in artificial reservoirs. With the exception Because of their variable nature, saline of the Great Lakes, however, the economic value of natu­ lakes in the Great Basin are discussed at some ral lakes is surpassed by that of artificial reservoirs. Nat­ ural lakes are best known for the recreational advantages length. Some of the lakes shown on older maps they afford. are now dry, or are much smaller than would be inferred from the maps. These saline lakes INTRODUCTION have no outlets, and hence are regulated en­ tirely by climate, but their shrinkage, or dis­ This report is primarily a glossary of appearance, during the past few decades can­ lakes in the United States that have surface not be attributed to climatic changes alone; areas of 10 square miles or more. A few diversion of water from their tributaries for known statistics on depths and some brief Man's use has been an important factor. The narrative information are included. The re­ saline lakes that now exist in the Great Basin port was prepared to fill a need for general are the persistent leftovers from a time,thou­ information on lakes suited to nontechnical sands of years ago, when the Great Basin con­ readers. tained numerous lakes (Feth, 1961,) most of which have long since dried up. Two of these Comparatively little statistical informa­ lakes, Bonneville and Lahontan, were huge tion on natural lakes has been collected in a Lake Bonneville was nearly as large as Lake systematic manner or according to uniform Michigan, and Lake Lahontan was nearly as criteria. Agencies in most of the States that large as Lake Erie. have many lakes have, at some time, issued inventory reports on lakes within their States, The statistical data presented in this re­ but the scope of the information varies con­ port have been compiled from many sources, siderably from one State to another. The most some of which could not be checked. A reader recent and comprehensive report one that who finds an error will render a service if he merits special mention is a report on the calls it to the attention of the Geological Sur­ lakes of western Washington (Wolcott, 1961) vey and cites his authority for the correct fig­ published by the Washington Department of ure. Conservation. (A similar report on lakes in eastern Washington is in preparation by the State.) PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Great Lakes came into existence as a result of the great ice age. It was once be*- The names and surface areas of natural lieved that the basins of the Great Lakes lakes in the United States have been compiled were formerly broad lowlands, which were from many sources over a period of years, scoured out and deepened by the continental and for the purpose of this report were re­ glaciers. Recently evidence has been dis­ viewed and revised in the district offices of covered that indicates that these basins may the Surface Water Branch. Acknowledgment have been cut down to their present depths is made to Margaret P. Mahey for coordi­ by the streams that flowed through them be­ nating the review, and collating and assem­ fore the ice age, and that the scouring action bling the final figures. The author is in­ of the glaciers may not have been as great debted to K. N. Phillips and M. T. Wilson, as was once believed. Offshore drilling in district engineers in Portland, Or eg., and Lake Superior by geologists from the Uni­ Salt Lake City, Utah, respectively, for their versity of Michigan revealed deep valleys on helpful review of the manuscript and for the lake floor which probably were cut by a some of the information presented, particu­ mighty preglacial river system emptying larly in the sections on origin of lakes, and either into Hudson Bay or the St. Lawrence on saline lakes in Oregon and Utah. E. E. River valley (Water Newsletter, Aug. 7, Harris, district engineer in Carson City, 1961). Regardless of the origin of these Nev., furnished most of the statistical data great depressions, they were filled with wa­ on saline lakes in Nevada. Much of the gen­ ter when the glaciers melted and retreated. eral information was gleaned from the ref­ erences listed in "Selected Bibliography," The Great Lakes underwent many changes at the end of this report. before they reached their present outline. At one time before the close of the ice age, ORIGIN OF NATURAL LAKES Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron were a single lake, which has been named Lake The origin of natural lakes is associated Algonquin. It had an area of 100,000 square with glacial action, volcanic action, warping miles, as compared with 77,230 square miles, of the earth's crust, and other natural phe­ the present area of the three lakes, and was nomena. Once a lake is formed it depends more than 1,500 feet deep in places, as com­ for its existence upon a continuing source of pared with 1,300 feet, the present maximum water inflow to the lake and precipitation depth of Lake Superior. Lake Algonquin ex­ directly upon the lake to balance outflow isted for several thousand years. Lake Erie from the lake and evaporation from the lake's was in existence, much as it is now, but surface. The origins of a few selected lakes the area occupied by the present Lake On­ are discussed briefly, as examples. The tario was covered by a much larger lake, lakes selected are mostly those 10 square called Lake Iroquois. miles or more in area and are listed else­ where in this report. Lake Okeechobee in Florida is a remnant of a shallow sea, known as the Pamlico sea, Glacial lakes are far more abundant than which once occupied what is now the Ever­ those of other origins. In the Northern States glades-Lake Okeechobee basin. The basin east of the 100th meridian, thousands of lakes was formed when the Florida plateau emerged were formed by the continental ice sheets from the ocean as a result of movement £>f during the great ice age. Comparatively the earth's crust (Davis, 1943). little of the northwestern United States (ex­ cept Alaska) was glaciated by continental ice Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee was formed by sheets, but many lakes were formed by gla­ the New Madrid earthquake in 1811 12, ciers that might be classified broadly as the through a combination of sinking and up­ mountain-valley type. Glacial lakes occupy heaval of the earth's crust. The bed of the basins that were formed by the scouring ac­ present lake was formerly low, marshy tion of moving ice, or the damming of stream ground, which sank 5 to 20 feet or more as a channels by debris deposited by melting ice, result of the earthquake. or by a combination of these two processes. Of the thousands of glacial lakes, very few The Finger Lakes in New York are two are as large as 10 square miles in surface groups of long, narrow lakes suggesting the area. fingers of a hand. Geologists are not in full collapse of the central part of a volcano.) agreement as to the origin of these lakes, Most of the original volcanic mountain dis­ except that the lakes occupy the valleys of appeared when the top of the cone collapsed streams that existed before the great ice into the crater after the last eruption. The age, and that the basins of the streams were name Mount Mazama has been given to this greatly modified by the moving ice. The two ancient volcano, which was active until late largest of these lakes are Cayuga and Seneca. in the Pleistocene 1 epoch (Hussey, 1947). Lake Cayuga is 381 feet above sea level and Recent studies (Briggs, 1962) indicate that it reaches a maximum depth of 54 feet be­ Mount Mazama erupted about 6,500 years low sea level; Lake Seneca is 444 feet above ago after a long period of quiescence, and sea level and it reaches a maximum depth of that the cone collapsed soon after. When the 174 feet below sea level (Fenneman, 1938). crater had cooled off, water began to collect A hole drilled to a depth of nearly 600 feet in the bottom of it, and Crater Lake was below the bottom of Lake Seneca did not formed. No surface stream flows into or reach the rock floor of the valley of the pre- out of Crater Lake (see also p. 13). The lake glacial stream. An unanswered question of is fed entirely by precipitation rain and great interest is how these basins attained snow which averages 66 inches of water their great depth. annually. The lake loses water only through evaporation and seepage, which balance the Crater Lake in Oregon (fig. 1), the deepest lake in the United States (see table 4) and IThe Pleistocene epoch, which began about a million years ago, well known for its intensely blue water, oc­ coincides approximately with the great ice age. According to geologic time divisions in rather common usage, the Pleistocene cupies a caldera 6 miles long and 4 miles epoch ended some 10 thousand years ago, and we are now in the wide. (A caldera is a crater formed by the Recent epoch.

Figure 1. Crater Lake, Oregon, in winter. Water level is about 6,175 feet above sea level. The crater walls, rising as much as 2,000 feet above the water, are remnants of a mountain more than 12,000 feet high. Wizard Island, in the middle ground, is the result of volcanic activity that continued after the main peak had collapsed. Photograph by Oregon State Highway Department. PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Figure 2. Wallowa Lake, Oregon. Water level is about 4,370 feet above sea level. Bench in left foreground is a lateral m

precipitation so that the lake level fluctuates Even the Great Lakes are not immune only 1 to 3 feet per year. from destructive forces. Although the lakes should last thousands of years, conserva- Lake Tahoe in California-Nevada occupies tionists are concerned that sewage and in­ a structural valley formed by geologic block dustrial wastes being dumped into the lakes faulting and modified by glacial action. A may be speeding up the natural aging proc­ lake of rare beauty, and on the routes of two ess (Water Newsletter, 1961b). The eroding transcontinental highways, it is probably the of the Niagara River channel, unless con­ best known and most visited lake in the west­ trolled by the works of man, is another force ern United States. that could eventually affect the lakes by low­ ering the level of Lake Erie. The bottom of Lake Chelan in Washington, which is ex­ Lake Erie is higher than the surface of Lake ceeded in depth only by two lakes (see table Ontario (fig. 3); the Niagara River, not shown 4), and Flathead Lake in Montana, in surface in figure 3, is the natural connecting channel area the largest fresh-water lake in western between the two lakes. The Niagara Falls is conterminous United States (see table 3), were gradually cutting its way up the Niagara both formed by mountain-valley glaciers. River towards Lake Erie. Fenneman (1938) Lake Chelan occupies a depression more estimates that the main cataract is receding than 600 feet below sea level gouged out by a upstream at a rate of between 4 and 5 feet glacier that moved nearly 90 miles down the per year, and that the falls has receded up­ Stehekin Valley from Cascade Pass. stream a distance of 6| miles since it came into existence. Although the falls might de­ There are many small lakes (less than 10 teriorate into a series of rapids before it square miles) that are of great local inter­ reaches Lake Erie, it is conceivable that, in est. Among these, Wallowa Lake in Oregon time, the Niagara River could lower its chan­ (fig. 2) was formed by a mountain-valley gla­ nel enough to have a marked effect on the cier. Davis Lake in Oregon was formed by a level of Lake Erie. lava dam across Odell Creek; Spirit Lake in Washington was similarly formed by volcanic THE GREAT LAKES ejecta from Mount St. Helens. In August 1959 an immense landslide, caused by an earth­ Because of their great size, the Great quake, dammed the Madison River in Montana Lakes are tabulated separately. The lakes and formed a small lake. The Uinta Moun­ are, in effect, inland seas, and cannot be tains in northeastern Utah are dotted with compared with other, much smaller, lakes. small lakes of glacial origin. In surface area, Lake Superior is the largest body of fresh water in the world, and Lakes Lakes are not permanent features of the Huron and Michigan rank third and fourth, landscape but, in terms of geologic time, are respectively.2 Statistics shown in table 1 transitory. Ever at work to destroy lakes have been published by the U.S. Lake Survey are natural forces which include among oth­ (1952). ers, erosion of the outlet, filling with sedi­ ment carried by inflowing streams, and for­ The Great Lakes have played an important mation of peat on the lake bottom. In the role in the industrial development of the natural course of events most lakes are des­ tined to become swamps and eventually dry ZThe second largest is Lake Victoria in Africa, which has a. sur­ face area of 26,800 square miles and a maximum depth of 270 land, although this transformation may re­ feet. quire hundreds or thousands of years.

Detroit River Wetland Canal Alt 602 ft Alt 572 ft

Alt 246 ft Locks

LAKE SUPERIOR

After the U.S. Lake Survey (1952)

Figure 3. Schematic section of Great Lakes, showing profile and relative depths. PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES Table 1. Statistical data on the Great Lakes Surface area (square miles) Maximum Mean eleva­ depth tion (feet above Lake United recorded sea level) Canada Total States (feet) 1960-1951

Superior ______20,710 11,110 31,820 1,302 602.21 Michigan ______22,400 0 22,400 923 580.57 Huron ______9,110 13,900 23,010 750 580.57 Erie _---__-_--______. 4,990 4,950 9,940 210 572.31 Ontario ______3,560 3,980 7,540 778 246.00

Total.. ______60,770 33,940 94,710

United States, as attested to by the industri­ or more. Washington has three lakes of 10 al centers that have sprung up on the lakes' square miles or more, but Water Supply bul­ shores. With the completion of the St. Law­ letin No. 14, published by the State Depart­ rence Seaway, seagoing ships of up to 25,000 ment of Conservation, lists 3,813 lakes and tons displacement can sail between the At­ reservoirs in the western 19 counties alone lantic Ocean and Duluth, Minn., a distance (about 37 percent of the State), for a total of some 2,300 miles. surface area of 174,734 acres, an average size of 46 acres, or about 0.07 square mile. NATURAL FRESH-WATER LAKES There is no rule that states how large or This section lists, by States, the names how deep a body of water must be to be and surface areas of lakes (exclusive of the called a lake, nor is there a clearly defined Great Lakes) having surface areas of 10 distinction between a lake and a pond. Biol­ square miles or more. Some of these lakes ogists think of a pond as a body of water are regulated by dams at their outlets, and shallow enough that vegetation can grow all the areas shown are the average areas un­ the way across it, but a better known defini­ der present regulation unless otherwise tion of a pond is simply that it is a body of qualified. The total number of lakes listed water too small to be called a lake. Al­ is 245; their total surface area is 13,700 though we commonly think of a pond as a square miles. small manmade body of water millpond, stock pond a pond can be a natural body of Twenty-three States have all the lakes of water; in fact, a natural pond may be a stage 10 square miles or more, and numerous in the gradual extinction of a previously ex­ smaller lakes. Minnesota has 40 lakes of isting lake (see also p.5). 10 square miles or more, but the "Gazet­ teer of Meandered3 Lakes of Minnesota," Although a natural lake may contain a published in 19 28 by the Minnesota State De­ large volume of water, this water is not all partment of Drainage and Waters, lists available for uses that require withdrawal. 6,489 meandered lakes, of which 1,009 are Only the natural outflow is' available for use; unnamed, and states that the nonmeandered if more water were withdrawn, the lake lakes may well outnumber the meandered would be lowered below its natural level. lakes. Michigan has 17 lakes of 10 square Many natural lakes are regulated between miles or more, including Lake St. Clair, but prescribed limits by dams at their outlets, the "Michigan Lakes and Streams Directo­ and thus provide a certain amount of water ry," published in 1931 by the Magazine of in storage that can be released as desired. Michigan Company, lists 4,189 lakes with In this way, a natural lake can serve the names. Other sources credit Michigan with same purpose as an artificial reservoir. more than 10,000 lakes. New York has 10 With the exception of the Great Lakes, how­ lakes of 10 square miles or more, but an ever, the economic value of our natural unpublished gazetteer lists 2,300 lakes and lakes is probably not as great as that of our ponds of 0.01 square miles (about 6 acres) artificial reservoirs.

A meandered lake is one whose boundary has been surveyed. NATURAL FRESH-WATER LAKES

Natural lakes are better known for the In the list of lakes by States, (table 2), the recreational advantages they offer than for locations of the lakes are given by counties their contribution to our national economy. except those in Alaska, for which locations Lakes are among the earth's most scenic are given by latitude and longitude. The de­ features and make ideal sites for summer gree of accuracy with which the areas were homes, tourist resorts, and other recrea­ measured is not known; it is unlikely that the tional facilities. Of the lakes mentioned in accuracy is of the same degree for all the this report, the following are in National States, but the figures shown are the best Parks, and hence afford certain facilities available. extended by the National Park Service:

Yellowstone Lake...... Yellowstone National Park For the convenience of thpse who are in­ Lake McDonald ...... Glacier National Park terested in the ranking of the largest lakes, Jackson Lake...... Grand TetonNational Park Lake Crescent...... Olympic National Park a separate list (table 3) ranks the lakes of Crater Lake...... Crater Lake National Park 100 square miles or more.

Table 2. Natural fresh-water lakes of 10 square miles or more, excluding the Great Lakes, arranged by States

Area Name Latitude Longitude Area Name Latitude Longitude (sq mi) !sq mi)

Alaska: Alaska Continued: ILiamna______59°35 155°00 1,000 Cbakachamna __ __ 61°10 152*30. 26 Becharof ______57°50 156°25 458 Imuruk______65°35 163°10 26 Teshekpuk ______70°35 153 °30 315 Nunavakanuk______62°05 164-40 25 Naknek ______58°35 156°00 242 Louise ______62°20 146°30 23 Tustumena______60°25 150°20 117 Minchumina ______63°55 152°15 23 Clark ______60°10 154°00 110 KLutina. ______61°40 145°30 22 Dall______60°15 163°45 100 Unnamed ______61°30 164°30 22 Inland 1 ______66°30 159°50 95 Do ______71°05 156°30 21 Imuruk Basin 65°05 165°40 80 Beluga ______61°25 151°30 20 Upper Ugashik ____ 57°50 156°25 75 Unnamed ______60°05 164°00 20 Kukaklek ______59°35 155°00 72 Do ______61°40 160°25 20 Lower Ugashik. _ _ 57°30 156°55 72 Kenai ______60°25 149°35 19 Nerka______59°20 158°45 69 Kyigayalik______61°00 162°30 19 Nuyakuk ______59°50 158°50 64 Tikchik ______59°55 158°20 19 Aropuk______61°10 163°45 57 Bering ______60°20 144°20 17 Tazlina ______61°50 146°30 57 Kulik ______59°50 158°50 17 Nanwhyenuk or Upnuk______60°05 158°55 17 Nonvianuk ______59°00 155°25 56 Unnamed slough. __ 62°40 163°30 17 Nunavakpak 60°45 162°40 53 Teloquana ______60°55 153°55 16 Kaghasuk1 ... __ _ 60°55 163°40 52 Unnamed ______60°30 161°40 16 Skilak ______60°25 150°20 38 Do ______61°00 163°45 16 Chauekuktuli______60°05 158°50 34 Do ______61°30 164°55 16 Chikuminuk______60°15 158°55 34 Five Day Slough. __ 62°05 162°00 15 Beverly ______59°40 158°45 33 Togiak ______59°35 159°35 15 Whitef ish______61°20 160°00 33 Unnamed ______59°55 163°15 15 Aleknagik ______59°20 158°45 31 Black ______56°25 159°00 14 Brooks ______58°30 155°55 31 Ualik ______59°05 159°30 14 Kgun ______61°35 163°50 31 Walker ______67°05 154°25 14 Nonvianuk ______59°00 155°30 31 Unnamed ______60°20 164°25 14 Takslesluk __ __ 61°05 162°55 31 Do ______60°50 163°30 14 George. ______61°15 148°35 29 Do ______59°50 163°30 14 Nunavak Anukslak _ 61°05 162°30 29 Amanka ______59°05 159°10 13 Unnamed. ______60°55 164°00 28 Whitef ish______60°55 154°55 13 Grosvenor ______58°40 155°15 27 Unnamed ______71°00 156°00 13 Tetlin ______63°05 142°45 27 Cros s wind. ______62°20 146 °00 12 See footnotes at end of table. PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Table 2. Natural fresh-water lakes of 10 square miles or more, excluding the Great Lakes, arranged by States Cont.

Name Latitude Longitude Area Name Latitude Longitude Area (sq mi) (sq mi)

Alaska Continued: Alaska Continued: Kakhomak. ______59°30 154°10 12 Ewan______62°25 145°50 10 Karluk ______57°20 154°05 12 Kontr ashibuna_ 60°10 154°00 10 Mother Goose ____ 57°10 157°20 12 Kukaklik ______61°40 160°30 10 Unname d______60°25 164°10 12 Kulik ______58°55 155°00 10 Do. ______59°50 163°25 12 Do. ______61°45 160°40 10 Do. ______62°15 162°20 12 Miles ______60°40 144°45 10 Do. ______70°50 153°30 12 Susitna______62°25 146°40 10 Coleville ______58°45 155°40 11 Unnamed ______60°20 162°00 10 Harlequin ______59°25 138°55 11 Do ______60°25 162°00 10 Unnamed______60°25 164°10 11 Do ______60°55 162°10 10 Do. ______60°55 162°20 11 Do ______59°55 163°15 10 "R^QT* c conn i enoi K 10 65>°00 i fi9°oo 10 Chignik ______56°15 158°50 10

Name County Area Name County Area 'sq mi) sq mi) California: [daho Continued: Tahoe2 ______Placer, Eldorado. 193 Bear 4 ______Bear Lake ______SLIO Clear ______Lake______65 Coeur d'Alene ____ Kootenai ______50 Eagle 3 ______Lassen______41 Priest ______Bonner ______37 Florida: Grays 6 ______Bonneville,Caribou_ 34 fyir ^ ^ r* V\ o In £> & Hendry, Glades, 700 Henrys ______Fremont______10 Okeechobee, [owa: Martin, Palm Spirit ______Dickinson ______12 Beach. Louisiana: (T^^jr»ryp Putnam, Marion, 70 White 7 ______Vermilion ______83 Volusia, Lake. Grand. ______Iberia, St. Mary, 64 Kissimmee ______Osceola, Polk _ __ 55 St. Martin. Apopka______Orange______48 Caddo 8 ______De Soto ______. 60 Istokpoga. ______Highlands ______43 Catahoula9 ______La Salle ______32 Tsala Apopka __ _ _ Citrus ______30 Grand. ______Cameron __._ _ __ 32 Tohopekaliga _ _ _ Osceola ______29 Six Mile ______St. Martin, St. Mary. 30 Harris _ x _ _ ._,_,- r- Lake______27 Fausse Pointe ____ St. Mary, Iberia _ _ 24 Orange. ______Alachua, Marion _ 26 Lac des St. John the East Tohopekaliga. Osceola _ _.. ___ 19 Allemands. Baptist. 23 Griffin ______Lake______14 Verret ______As sumption ______22 Monroe ______Seminole,Volusia_ 14 Polour de ______St. Martin, St. 18 Jessup ______Seminole ______13 Mary, Assumption. Weohyakapka _ _ _ Polk ______12 Maine: Talquin ______Gadsden, Leon___ 11 Moosehead ______Piscataquis, 117 Eustis ______Lake ______11 Somerset. Blue Cypress.. __ Osceola, Indian 10 Sebago ______Cumberland. _ __ _ 45 River. Chesuncook 10 _ _ _ Piscataquis ______43 Hatchineha ______Polk, Osceola __ 10 West Grand _____ Washington ______37 Lochloosa ______Alachua ______10 Flagstaff ______Somerset, Franklin. 28 Idaho: Spednik11 ______Washington _ _ __ 28 Pend Oreille. _ ___ Bonner ______148 Grand Falls11 ______do ______. 27

See footnotes at end of table. NATURAL FRESH-WATER LAKES

Table 2. Natural fresh-water lakes of 10 square miles or more, excluding the Great Lakes, arranged by States Cont.

Lake County Area Lake County Area (sq mi) (sq ml) Maine Continued: Minnesota Continue;d: East Grand 11 __ __ Washington, 26 Upper and Lower Beltrami. ______451 Aroostook. Red. Mooselookme- Oxford, Franklin- _ 26 Rainy 15 ______Koochiching, St. 345 guntic. Louis. Twin ______Penobscot, 25 Mille Lacs ___ _ _. Aitken^ Crow 207 Piscataquis. Wing, Mille Lacs. Chamberlain and Piscataquis ______22 Leech. ______.... Cass ______176 Telos. Winnibigoshish. ... Itasca, Cass______109 Gr aham______Hancock ______19 Vermilion ______St. Louis______77 Churchill and Piscataquis ______17 Lac La Croix15 _ . _____do______53 Eagle. 17 Cass______. Cass, Beltrami___ 46 Baskahegan ______Washington. ______16 Basswood 15 ___ _ _. Lake ______46 Umbagog 12 ______Oxford. ______16 Namakan 15 ______St. Louis. ______44 Brassua ______Somerset ______15 Kabetogama ______Itasca ______40 Squar e______Aroostook. __ 14 Pepin 16 ______Goodhue, Wabasha_ 39 Millinocket______Penobscot, 14 Mud ______Marshall. ___ _ ... 37 Piscataquis. Saganaga15 ______Cook ______32 Great______Kennebec ______13 Pokegama ______Itasca ______24 Richards on______Oxford, ______13 Minnetonka _ _ _ _ _ Hennepin, Carver. 22 Schoodic ______Piscataquis ______11 Otter Tail __ __ Otter Tail ______22 Sebec______.____do______11 Gull ______Cass, Crow Wing _ 20 Aziscohos______Oxford ______10 Pelican ______St. Louis ______19 Canada Falls _ __ Somerset ______10 Traver s e 17 ______Traverse ______18 Rangeley ______Oxford ______10 Big Stone 17 ______Big Stone ______17 Michigan: Crooked 1! ______St. Louis, Lake _ _ 17 St. Clair13 __ _ __ 460 Sandy ______Aitkin ______15 Houghton______Ros common ______31 Swan______Nicollet______15 Torch ______Antrim, Kalkaska. 29 Island. ______St. Louis. ______14 Charlevoix14 ___ _ Charlevoix ______27 Bowstring ______Itaska ______14 Burt______Cheboygan ______27 Burntside ______St. Louis______14 Mullet ______L____do ______26 Sand Point15 ______do______14 Gogebic ______Ontonagon, 21 Trout______do______14 Gogebic. St. Croix 16 ______Washington. ______13 Manistique Mackinac, Luce___ 16 Lac qui Parle__ _ _ Chippewa, Lac qui 13 Black ______Cheboygan, 16 Parle. Presque Isle. Pelican ______Crow Wing ______13 Crystal ______Benzie______15 Dead______Otter Tail______12 Portage. ______Houghton. ______15 Minnewaska _ ____ Pope______12 Higgins ______Crawford, 15 Thief ______Mar shall______12 Roscommon. Nett ______St. Louis, 12 Hubbard ______Alcona______14 Koochiching. Leelanau ______Le elanau______13 Osakis ______Douglas, Todd____ 10 Indian ______Schoolcr aft ______12 Bemidji ______Beltrami. ______10 Elk ______Antrim, Grand 12 Lida ______Otter Tail______10 Traverse. Montana: 18 197 Glen ______Leelanau ______10 Flathead ______Lake, Flathead ___ Minnesota: Medicine ______Sheridan ______1915 Lake of the Lake of the 1,485 McDonald ______Flathead ______10 Woods.15 Woods.

See footnotes at end of table. 10 PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Table 2. NatutaJ fresh-water lakes of 10 square miles or more, excluding the Great Lakes, arranged by States Cent. Area Area Name County Name County !sq mi) (sq mi)

Nevada: Texas: Tahoe 2 ______Ormsby,Douglas_ _ 193 Caddo 8 ______Marion ______60 New Hampshire: Utah: Winnipesaukee ____ Belknap, Carroll__ 72 Utah ______Utah ______140 Umbagog12 ______Coos ______16 Bear 4.. ______Rich ______110 Squam ______Gafton, Carroll _ _ 11 Vermont: New York: Champlain 20 _ _ __ Chittenden, 21 490 '21490 Champlain20 __ __ Clinton, Essex____ Franklin. Oneida ______Oswego, Oneida ___ 80 Washington: Seneca ______Seneca, Schuyler _ _ 67 Chelan ______Chelan ______55 Cavuffa Cayuga, Seneca, 66 Washington _ _ King ______35 Tompkins. Ozette ______Clallam ______12 George______Warren __ _ _ 44 Wisconsin: Chautauqua ______Chautauqua _ _ 21 Winnebago______Winnebago, 215 Black ______St. Lawrence _____ 17 Calumet, Fond du Canandaigua _ _ _ Ontario, Yates 17 Lac. Skaneateles ______Onondaga, Cayuga _ 14 Pepin16 ______. Pierce, Pepin _ _ _ 39 Owasco ______Cayuga______10 Poygan__ Winnebago ______17 North Carolina: Ko shkonong. _ _ _ __ Jefferson ______16 Mattamuskeet 22 _ _ _ Hyde ______. 67 Mendota______Dane ______15 Phelps ______Washington ______25 St. Croix16 ____ . St. Croix ______12 Waccamaw ______Columbus ______14 Gr een______Green Lake ______11 Oregon: Wyoming: 23142 Upper Klamath____ Klamath. ______Yellowstone _ ____ Yellowstone ^131 Crater ______._ _do______21 National Park. South Dakota: Jackson ______Teton ______2539 Traverse17 ______Roberts ______18 Shoshone ______Yellowstone 11 Big Stone17 ______. __do______. 17 National Park. Tennessee: Reelfoot______. Lake, Obion ______22

May be salt water. 15Minnesota and Ontario. 3 California and Nevada. l*Minnesota and Wisconsin. Mildly saline, less than 1,000 ppm. 1'Minnesota and South Dakota. 4 Idaho and Utah. l8At normal high water; 188 sq mi at medium low water; lake 5 136 sq mi including Mud Lake. regulated for power between these limits. * Submerged marsh. "Includes 4 islands having area of about 1 sq mi. 'Originally brackish; now kept fresh by controls on salt water 2<>New York, Vermont, and Quebec. intrusion. 21 Includes islands totaling about 55 sq mi. "Louisiana and Texas. 22The lake originally landlocked, was drained and provided 'Shrinks to small area at extremely low stages. with outlet and is fresh water; level regulated to some extent by 10Includes Ripogenus and Caribou. control works on canals draining the area. "Maine and Quebec. 23At upper level; dam at outlet allows regulation so that area 12Maine and New Hampshire. varies between 93 and 142 sq mi. ^Michigan and Ontario. 24Includes islands totaling 3 sq mi. Formerly called Pine. 25Enlarged by dam; original area, 30 sq mi. AMOUNT OF WATER IN LAKES 11 Table 3. Natural fresh-water lakes of 100 square miles or more, excluding the Great Lakes, ranked by size

Area Area Name Location Name Location (sq mi) (sq mi)

Lake of the Woods__ Minnesota and 1,485 Mille Lacs______Minnesota. ______207 Ontario. Flathead ______Montana ______197 Hiamna ______Alaska. ______1,000 Tahoe ______California and 193 Okeechobee______Florida ______700 Nevada. Champlain______New York, Ver­ 490 Leech ______Minnesota. ______176 mont, and Quebec. Pend Or eille ______Idaho _ __ _ ... _ _ 148 St. Clair ______. Michigan and 460 Upper KLamath _ _ _ Oregon ______142 Ontario. Utah ______Utah ______140 Becharof ______Alaska. ______458 Yellowstone. _ _ _ _ _ Wyoming. ______137 Upper and Lower Minnesota ______451 Tustumena. ______Alaska. ______117 Red. Moosehead______Maine ______117 Rainy ______Minnesota and 345 Clark ______Alaska. ______110 Ontario. Bear ______Idaho and Utah____ 110 Teshekpuk. ______Alaska. ______315 Winnibigoshish Minnesota. ______109 Naknek. ______do______242 Dall ______Alaska. ______100 Winnebago______Wisconsin ______215

DEPTHS OF LAKES Great Lakes, which are shared by the United States and Canada, hold about 5,500 cubic Table 4 (see page 12) includes lakes that miles of water. 4 By way of comparison with are 250 feet deep or more. The sources of streamflow, about 400 cubic miles of water, some of the figures are unknown, but the fig­ on the average, flows into the ocean from the ures are believed to be fairly reliable. The conterminous United States (exclusive of list probably is incomplete; there may be Alaska and Hawaii) each year, only a small other lakes deeper than 250 feet, particularly part of which would be in temporary storage in Alaska. The lakes in this list are not lim­ in the stream channels at any given time. ited to those having surface areas of 10 square Eight of the deepest known lakes in the con­ miles or more, but those smaller than 10 terminous United States (table 4), whose square miles are footnoted. depths range from 316 feet to 1,932 feet and whose areas exceed 10 square miles Tahoe Some of the Alaskan lakes are very small in California and Nevada, Pend Oreille in in area, considering their depth; Crater Lake Idaho, Chelan in Washington, Crater in Ore­ has an area of only about 1 square mile, and gon, Champlain in New York and Vermont, Long and Deer Lakes have areas of only Seneca and Cayuga in New York, and Sebago about 2 square miles. Grant and Swan Lakes in Maine contain about 55 cubic miles of were both sounded only a short distance off­ water. Lake Okeechobee in Florida, although shore, and might be considerably deeper than large in surface area, is shallow, and prob­ the figures shown. ably contains less than 2 cubic miles of water. The six deep lakes in southwestern Of the 34 lakes in this list of deep lakes, Alaska, whose areas exceed 10 square miles 20 are in Alaska, 10 are in the far West, and (table 4) Aleknagik, Beverley, Chauekuktuli, 4 are in the Northeast. Clark, Nerka, and Nuyakuk contain about 13 cubic miles of water. By way of comparison, AMOUNT OF WATER IN LAKES

*For the purpose of this report, volumes of natural lakes were The amount of water stored in lakes is estimated by the formula, Volume = 1/3 maximum depth x sur­ very large compared with the amount stored face area. This formula gives results that probably are too low, but they are satisfactory for making comparisons. A more ac­ in stream channels at any given time. How­ curate method is given by Hutchinson (1957), but it requires more information than is available for most lakes. Hutchinson ever, a greater part of the water stored in gives 5,900 cubic miles of water as the contents of the five lakes is in a few lakes of great size. The Great Lakes. 12 PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Table 4. Natural fresh-water lakes 250 feet deep or more, ranked by depth

Name Location Depth Name Location Depth (feet) (feet)

Crater1. ______Oregon ______1,932 Cooper 4- 5 ______Alaska ______>400 Tahoe 2 ______California and 1,645 Champlain ______New York, Vermont, 400 Nevada. and Quebec. Chelan ______Washington, ______1,605 Kasnyku 4' 5 ______Alaska ______393 Pend Oreille __ _ __ Idaho ______1,200 Chakachamna5______do ______380 Nuyakuk3 ______Alaska. ______930 Ozette6 , ______Washington ______331 Deer 4,5______do______877 Aleknagik3 ______Alaska ______330 Chauekuktuli 3 ______do______700 Sebago ______Maine ______316 Crescent 4- 6 ______Washington, ______624 Swan 4« 5 ______Alaska ______>314 Seneca*7 ______New York ______618 Baranof f 4« 5______do ______303 Clark 3 ______Alaska ______606 Payette2 ______Idaho______>300 Beverley3. ______do______500 Quinault 4' 5.. ______Washington ___ __ About Nerka3 ______do______475 300 Tokatz 4 - 5 ______do______474 Crescent 4- 5 ______Alaska ______291 Long4- 5 ______do______470 Wallowa 4' 8______Oregon ______283 Lower _____do ______459 Chilkoot 4' 5 ______Alaska ______282 Sweetheart. 4- 5 Odell 4- 9 ______Oregon ______279 Cayuga 7 __ __ New York 435 Silver4- 5 ______Alaska ______278 Crater 4* 5 ______Alaska, ______414 Grant 4- 5 ______do ______>250

'Sounded by U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1959. In 1886, 6Wolcott f 1961). Mark Kerr measured 1,996 feet at approximately same point. 7Fenneman (1938). According to Hutchinson (1957), Crater Lake is the second deepest 8W. D. Smith, Northwest Science, December 1939. lake in the Western Hemisphere, exceeded only by Great Slave 9Sounded by K. N. Phillips, Aug. 10, 1940. Lake in Canada, depth about 2,010 ft. 2Russell (1885, p. 72). Note: Pyramid Lake, a saline lake in Nevada (see p. 14) is about 3Interim report on southwestern Alaska, by the Corps of Engineers, 280 feet deep at its present level, according to M. T. Wilson 1954,and Mertie 0.938, p. 1$. (written communication, 1962). 4Less than 10 square miles. founded by U.S. Geological Survey. the 1,300 reservoirs listed by Thomas and Water containing as much as 1,000 ppm of Harbeck (1956) would contain about 80 cubic dissolved solids is acceptable for drinking, miles of water if all were full at the same although in some areas water of higher sa­ time. linity is used for drinking. In parts of the western United States water containing as Little is known about the almost countless much as 4,000 ppm of dissolved solids is small lakes that dot some parts of the coun­ used for irrigation. Ocean water contains try, but their total content probably is small about 35,000 ppm of dissolved solids, mostly as compared with the few large lakes. sodium chloride.

SALINE LAKES Most of the saline lakes in the United States are in the Great Basin, which includes nearly All lakes contain some dissolved solids. all of Nevada, the western half of Utah, and There is no specific criterion for distin­ parts of Oregon, California, Idaho, and Wyo­ guishing between fresh water and saline wa­ ming. The Great Basin has no outlet to the ter, but the following classification, in terms ocean. The rivers and streams that originate of ppm (parts per million) of dissolved sol­ in the Great Basin eventually empty into ids, has been used by the Geological Survey lakes and sinks from which the water has no (Winslow and Kister, 1956; Kreiger and oth­ escape except by evaporation. ers, 1957): Dissolved solids All lakes are either closed or open. Lakes Description from which water leaves only by evaporation Slightly saline...... 1,000 to 3,000 are termed closed; those with any kind of Moderately saline ...... 3,000 to 10,000 effluent, whether it is seepage or a surface Very saline...... 10,000 to 35,000 Brine ...... More than 35,000 SALINE LAKES 13

outlet, are termed open (Hutchinson, 1957). The saline lakes in the Great Basin are «& closed; they have no surface outlet, nor do they lose water by seepage. These saline Red Rock Pass, lakes occupy sealed basins (Harding, 1962) Rim of Great Basin where Lake 114- Bonneville and lose water only by evaporation. Evapo­ overflowed ration removes water in the form of pure water vapor and leaves the dissolved solids; hence the waters of closed lakes tend to be­ come saline. Occasionally, a saline lake fills up and spills over into an adjoining basin and thus freshens temporarily. Ab­ sence of a surface outlet does not, by itself, indicate that a lake is saline. Crater Lake in Oregon (see also p. 3 ), for example, has no surface outlet, but it loses water by seep­ age as well as by evaporation, the salts that tend to accumulate are carried out with the seepage water, so that the water in the lake remains fresh. All fresh-water lakes are open.

The largest of the saline lakes is Great Salt Lake in Utah, the water of which is much

saltier than ocean water. It is a remnant of 112' ancient Lake Bonneville, which at its highest level covered an area of some 20,000 square miles (fig. 4), Lake Bonneville came into 50 100 200 MILES _I existence during the great ice age. Ice was not a direct factor in forming the lake, but After Gilbert (1890) as a result of the cooler andmoister climate Figure 4. Sketch map of Utah, showing approximate outline of that brought on the great ice age, water ac­ Lake Bonneville and Great Salt Lake. cumulated in the basin and formed Lake Bonneville. The lake reached a maximum The maximum water surface elevation of level about 1,000 feet higher than the pres­ Great Salt Lake since 1851 was 4,211.6 feet ent level of Great Salt Lake; it overflowed at above sea level in 1873; the minimum was Red Rock Pass in the northern rim of the 4,191.6 in 1961. During the three decades Great Basin (fig. 4) and its water reached preceding 1960 the lake level fluctuated be­ the Pacific Ocean by way of the Portneuf. tween about 4,195 and 4,200 feet. During Snake, and Columbia Rivers. Geologic evi­ 1960 and 1961 the lake level dropped about dence indicates that the overflow occurred 3 \ feet as a result of drought. At the highest 30,000 to 40,000 years ago (Trimble and level in 1873, the area of the lake was about Carr, 1961). 2,400 square miles; at the lowest level in 1961, the area was about 950 square miles. With the return of warmer drier climate, inflow to Lake Bonneville diminished and The general downward trend in the level of evaporation from the lake surface increased, Great Salt Lake since 1873 doesn't neces­ and the lake level began to drop. The reces­ sarily mean that the lake is drying up. The sion of Lake Bonneville was not gradual and lake level tends to maintain a balance be­ uniform. Morrison (1961) shows that the tween the amount of water evaporated from lake has passed through five cycles of re­ the lake surface and the amount of water cession and advance, and may have dried up contributed to it by inflow and by direct pre­ completely during one of the cycles. cipitation. In other words, the lake is always 14 PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES seeking to stabilize its level. During a pe~ Carson (Carson) Lakes in Nevada. These riod of dry years the level drops and the lakes are shown on some maps, although all area decreases rapidly, so that the total vol­ except Pyramid and Walker Lakes have ume of evaporation is considerably dimin­ dried up or are dry periodically. ished. Thus less inflow is required to main­ tain an existing lake level. During a period Other lakes in the Great Basin have like­ of wet years the level rises and the area is wise dried up in recent years, or are dry materially increased, providing for a larger periodically: Sevier Lake in Utah; Goose volume of evaporation to compensate for the Lake in California-Oregon; Abert, Summer, greater inflow. An important factor contrib­ and Silver Lakes in Oregon; and perhaps uting to the decline of the lake level is the other smaller lakes. Abert, Goose, and diversion of water, for Man's use, from the Summer Lakes were dry or almost dry in streams that flow into the lake. the mid twenties or early thirties; all were fairly high in 1958, especially Abert Lake The water in Great Salt Lake is a brine. where the salty water killed juniper trees as According to Langbein (1961), the salinity of much as 60 years old.6 Some maps show the lake was 138,000 ppm in 1877 when the Malheur and Harney Lakes in Oregon as lakes surface area was 2,200 square miles, and of considerable size. They are playas flats 276,000 ppm in 1932 when the area was 1,300 covered periodically by ephemeral or inter­ square miles. mittent lakes and since 1895their combined surface area has ranged repeatedly from Several closed lakes exist in the Lahontan about 125 square miles down to about 2 square Basin in western Nevada and the eastern miles (Piper andothers, 1939). (The two lakes edge of California. The Lahontan Basin is a are interconnected; when Malheur Lake, the subbasin within the Great Basin. It is trib­ larger of the two, fills up it overflows into utary to ancient Lake Lahontan, which existed Harney Lake.) Owens Lake in California, at the same time as Lake Bonneville (Rus­ which in 1872 prior to any upstream irriga­ sell, 1885; Gilbert, 1890) and had a similar tion had an area of 110 square miles, was history except that it did not overflow its ba­ down to 35 square miles in 1943. There has sin. At its highest level, Lake Lahontan had been no surface inflow into Owens Lake from a surface area of more than 8,000 square the Owens River since 1943, and the lake has miles and had a maximum depth of about been dry parts of each year since then. 7 900 feet. Salton sea in southern California, which oc­ The two largest lakes in the Lahontan cupies a depression known as Salton Sink, is Basin 5 are Pyramid and Walker Lakes, both a well-known body of saline water. According of which occupy depressions in the bed of to geologic evidence, Salton Sink was once former Lake Lahontan. There is some un­ part of the Gulf of California, perhaps only a certainty as to whether or not they are actu­ few thousand years ago. The mouth of the al remnants of Lake Lahontan. Their waters Colorado River was then near Yuma. The are relatively fresh, not strong brines like delta of the river built up and cut off the up­ the water of Great Salt Lake, but Langbein per end of the gulf, creating the ancestral Sal- (1961) has shown that the salt content of a ton Sea, known as Lake Cahuilla. Evidently, closed lake is no measure of its age. the river shifted back and forth across its delta and discharged alternately into the gulf In addition to Pyramid and Walker Lakes, and into Salton Sink (Brown, 1923). In between the following were listed by Russell (1885) as such occasional floodings the sink would dry existing in the bed of former Lake Lahontan up, leaving a salt flat about 270 feet below sea when he made his field investigation in 1882: level (the lowest point in the sink is 273.5 feet Honey Lake in California; Winnemucca, Hum- below sea level). The last flooding from the boldt, North Carson (Carson Sink), and South Colorado River occurred in 1905 7; a large area of farmland was threatened with inunda­ 5Lake Tahoe. although in the Lahontan Basin, is not included tion, until the breach was closed largely with the Lahontan lakes. Lake Tahoe is a fresh-water lake (see *K. N. Phillips, written communication, 1961. p. 5), in the high Sierras near the western edge of the basin, and J"M. B. Scott, written communication, 1961; information from has an outlet to Truckee River. City of Los Angeles, Dept. of Water and Power. SALINE LAKES 15 through the efforts of the Southern Pacific shape, Devils Lake is apparently a blocked Co. pre-glacial drainage channel. 7a

Salton Sea attracted considerable attention It is not possible to give a single unquali­ during the early 1950's when its level started fied figure of area for most of the saline to rise. The flooding from the Colorado lakes in the Great Basin. Being closed, they River in 1905-7 raised the level of Salton Sea are subject to considerable fluctuation be­ to 195 feet below sea level and covered an cause of climatic variations. Furthermore, area of about 650 square miles. The level some of these lakes are relatively shallow then began to drop and reached a low of about and have gently sloping shores, so that even 251 feet below sea level in 1924. During the a small change in lake level results in a 1940's the level was fairly constant at about comparatively large change in area. In table 240 to 241 feet below sea level. The rise in 5 the present area is given, according to the the 1950's was due to increased return flow most recent information available, and also resulting from increased irrigation with wa­ the maximum area known since occupancy of ter from the Colorado River. The level now the land by white man, the area the lakes (1962) appears to be fairly well stabilized at might conceivably reach again as the result about 235 feet below sea level, with a surface of a succession of wet years. Only those area of about 350 square miles. The salinity lakes are listed, however, that are known to of Salton Sea is approximately that of sea have exceeded 10 square miles in surface water. area.

Devils Lake in North Dakota is shown on In addition to the closed lakes, there are a some maps as being of considerable size. In number of saline lakes near the Gulf of Mex­ 1867 the total lake surface covered about 140 ico that are at sea level, and are subject to square miles, but by 1940 the lake level had tidal fluctuation through channels connecting dropped 37 feet and the lake had shrunk to a them with the Gulf. The five largest of these shallow body of stagnant water covering a are in Louisiana and Texas; they are listed little more than 10 square miles (Swenson in table 5. and Colby, 1955). Since 1940 the lake level has been generally rising. Because of its M. Laird, written communication, 1965.

Table 5. Principal saline lakes

Present area Lake Remarks (square miles)

California: Salton Sea. 350 About 650 sq mi at highest stage in 1905 07. Owens ___. Dry at times each year 110 sq mi in 1872, prior to diversions from Owens since 1943. River; 35 sq mi in 1943. Mono ______..__. 76 Maximum, 89 sq mi in 1919. Goose (in California About 100 Maximum, 186 sq mi, 125 in California and 61 in and Oregon). Oregon; overflowed into Pitt River in 1869 and 1881; dry in 1930; 150 sq mi in 1958. Eagle. 41 Some question as to whether Eagle Lake should be considered saline or fresh water. It has no sur­ face outlet (Martin, 1962), but since 1924 it has been tapped by tunnel to Willow Creek. Salinity is considerable less than 1,000 ppm, according to California Dept. of Water Resources. During period 1895 1925 lake rose to highest level since at least 1650 (Harding, 1935); rise believed due to closing of subterranean outlet by earthquake in 1890 (Antevs, 1938). 16 PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Toole 5. Principal saline lakes Continued

Lake Present area Remarks (square miles)

California Continued: Honey______Dry 90 sq mi in 1867, possibly higher in 1890; dry in 1903; high in 1904; dry in 1924. Contained some water April 1958 to September 1960, and early in 1962. Louisiana: Pontchartrain. 625 These lakes are connected with the Gulf of Mexico, and are subject to tidal fluctuation. Sabine (Louisiana and Texas) _____ 95 Do. Calcasieu ______90 Do. Maurepas ______90 Do. Salvador ______70 Do. Nevada: Pyramid ______180 Maximum size, 220 sq mi. Low until 1860; reached extreme high level in 1862 and 1868 or 1869; nearly as high in 1890; began to drop in 1917 (Hardman and Venstrom, 1941). Walker. ____, 107 Maximum size, 125 sq mi. Winnemucca, Dry Maximum size, 180 sq mi. Dry in 1840, but began to fill shortly thereafter (Zones, 1961). According to Russell (1885) the lake rose more than 50 ft and approximately doubled its area between 1867 and 1882. Was 87 ft deep in 1882. Dry since 1945. Carson. Nearly dry Maximum size, 41 sq mi. A few water-filled pot holes remain. Once called South Carson Lake; received flow of Carson River before Lahontan Reservoir was built. Carson Sink Dry A shallow playa some 250 square miles in area shown on some maps as a body of water. Russell (1885) called it North Carson Lake. Dry in 1882, but probably has had some water at times since. Once received water from both Carson and Hum- boldt Rivers. Ruby. Maximum size, 37 sq mi. Shown as swamp on re­ cent maps of Army Map Service and Nevada Dept. of Highways. Franklin Maximum size, 32 sq mi. Shown as swamp on re­ cent maps of the Army Map Service and Nevada Dept. of Highways. North Dakota: Devils ______24 140 sq mi in 1867; 70 sq mi in 1883; 45 sq mi in 1900; 10 sq mi in 1940. Since 1940 lake has been rising. Oregon: Malheur and Harney____. Probably dry Malheur, the larger of the two lakes, overflows in­ to Harney, which has no outlet. Maximum com­ bined size, 125 sq mi. Reported dry in 1931; high in late 1950's; about 1 sq mi in 1961, and ex­ pected to go dry in 1962. ARTIFICIAL RESERVOIRS 17

Table 5. Principal saline lakes Continued

Lakes Present area Remarks (square miles)

Oregon Continued: Goose (see California). _____ Abert ______52 Maximum size, 60 sq mi. Dry in 1930 or there­ abouts, but fairly high in 1958. Summer Probably dry Maximum size, 70 sq mi. Nearly dry in 1961. Silver _ _ Dry Maximum size, 15 sq mi. Dry in 1961. Because of the transient nature of the lake, the water when­ ever there is any is relatively fresh; hay is raised on the dry lake bed. Warner. Probably less than 10 A series of shallow lakes; combined area about 30 sq mi in 1953, a wet year, estimated from Army Map Service map based on aerial photo­ graphs taken in 1953. Present lakes are all that is left of Pleistocene Warner Lake, which covered about 300 sq mi and was about 270 ft deep.

Utah: Great Salt.. About 1,000 Maximum size since 1851, 2,400 sq mi in 1870's; minimum, 950 sq mi in October 1961; seasonal high in 1962 was 1,050 sq mi in June. Sevier. Dry Maximum size, 125 sq mi; has been dry for several years.

Comparatively few in number, saline lakes lakes, but some of them have attractions to have a small utilitarian value compared with offer. For example, Eagle Lake in Califor­ freshwater lakes, but they merit mention. nia is coming into favor with boating enthu­ siasts. Only mildly saline, it supports one Several saline lakes in the Great Basin are specie of game fish (Martin, 1962). Great potential sources of sodium bicarbonate, bo­ Salt Lake has long been a tourist attraction, rax, and common salt. Production of salt partly because of the ease with which a per­ from saline lakes in Utah alone has ranged son can float in the dense, salty water. in value from $60,000 in 1880 to more than $2 million in 1959 (Mahoney, 1961), totaling ARTIFICIAL RESERVOIRS some $30 million. There are important distinctions between Some of the saline lakes serve as resting artificial reservoirs and natural lakes, al­ and feeding areas for migratory waterfowl, 8 though many reservoirs have the outward ap­ as do, of course, many fresh-water lakes. pearances of natural lakes. For one thing, Abert Lake and Great Salt Lake are sources reservoirs are so constructed that they con­ of brine shrimp, which are removed com­ tain very little dead storage; most of the wa­ mercially and processed, and sold for fish ter is above the level of the lowest outlet and food. can be released, if need be. On the other hand, almost all the water in natural lakes is In recreational value, the saline lakes are dead storage, or below the level of the nat­ completely overshadowed by fresh-water ural outlet.

8Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is adjacent to Malheur and Harney Lakes, and Bear River National 'Wildlife Refuge is adja­ cent to Great Salt Lake. 18 PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Another difference between artificial res­ as much water as either Garrison or Oahe, ervoirs and natural lakes is that, as com­ although the surface area of Lake Mead is pared with their total contents, reservoirs less than half of that of either of the other generally have larger inflow than lakes. Or, two. to state this another way, as compared with their inflow, natural lakes generally have a Change in contents of a reservoir is ac­ greater capacity than reservoirs. The 1,300 companied by a corresponding change in sur­ reservoirs listed by Thomas and Harbeck face area. Because the contents of most (1956) have a total usable capacity of some reservoirs are subject to rather large sea­ 80 cubic miles, although not all these reser­ sonal changes, the areas shown in table 6 voirs are full at the same time. At any one are the areas at some specified level, such time, these reservoirs probably contain about as the maximum waterline, although the wa­ the same amount of water as the eight deep ter level in the reservoir may seldom be lakes in the conterminous United States re­ that high. ferred to on page 11. But whereas even the largest of these reservoirs would, if com­ Many large reservoirs are built to serve pletely emptied, refill in 2 years or so, some more than one purpose. If flood-control is of these deep lakes would require many years. one of the purposes, the space allotted to it Chelan, Sebago, and Seneca Lakes would, if is at the top of the reservoir above some completely emptied, require some 10 years specified level, so that the allotted space or thereabouts to refill; Lake Tahoe might the flood-control pool can, if deemed ad­ require as much as 300 years. (Lake Supe­ visable, be kept available for storing flood- rior, not one of the eight lakes referred to, water. After a flood has passed, the flood- would require on the order of 150 years.) water stored can be released gradually and the space again made available. Below the Half of the States have no natural lakes as level of the flood-control pool are other al­ large as 10 square miles in area, but more lotted spaces the power pool, the conser­ than three-fourths of the States have reser­ vation pool, etc. The operation of such a voirs of that size, or larger. As a matter of reservoir depends upon the purpose it serves interest, the largest reservoir of 10 square and the priorities assigned to each, and to miles or more in each State is listed at the the flood potential of the area that drains in­ end of this section (table 6). to the reservoir. The prevailing level of a multiple-purpose reservoir may be at or be­ Reservoirs are most commonly ranked in low the bottom of the flood-control pool, even size according to their usable contents, the though the area given in table 6 may be the amount of water than can be stored above the area at the maximum waterline. lowest outlet. In this section, however, sur­ face area is given as a measure of size in Regulated natural lakes are not shown in order to be comparable with the ranking of table 6, only artificial reservoirs. Regula­ natural lakes. ted natural lakes, if more than 10 square miles in area, are shown in table 2. Fur­ In terms of surface area, the largest res­ thermore, only reservoirs of 10 square miles ervoir is Garrison in North Dakota, with or more are shown in table 6. Hence, there Oahe in South Dakota both on the Missouri are no entries in this table for Alaska, Con­ River a close second. Because of its much necticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, greater depth, Lake Mead on the Colorado Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, River in Arizona-Nevada can store half again Rhode Island, and Vermont. ARTIFICIAL RESERVOIRS 19

Table 6. Largest artificial reservoirs of 10 square miles or more in each State

State Reservoir and stream Surface area (sq mi)

Alabama. ______Guntersville (Tennessee River)______110 Arizona ______Lake Mead (Colorado River) 1 ______229 Arkansas ______Bull Shoals (White River) ______111 California ______Shasta (Sacramento River) ______46 Colorado ______John Martin (Arkansas River) ______29 Florida. ______Conservation area No. 1, (Everglades) ______216 Georgia ______Clark Hill (Savannah River) 2 . ______123 Idaho. ______American Falls (Snake River) ______88 Illinois ______Crab Orchard (Crab Orchard Creek)?. ______11 Iowa ______Coralville (Iowa River) 3 ______39 Kansas ______Tuttle Creek (Big Blue River) ______83 Kentucky ______Kentucky (Tennessee River)______407 Louis iana______Bayou Bodcau (Bayou Bodcau) ______33 Maryland ______Conowingo (Susquehanna River)______13 Massachusetts __ Quabbin (Swift River)______39 Michigan ______Fletcher Pond, Upper South Branch (Thunder Bay River) ___ _ 13 Mississippi ______; Grenada (Yalobusha River)______101 Missouri ______Lakes of the Ozarks (Bagnall), (Osage River) ______93 Montana ______Fort Peck (Missouri River) ______382 Nebraska ______McConaughy (Kingsley), (North Platte River) ______50 Nevada ______Lake Mead (Colorado River)4______229 New Mexico Elephant Butte (Rio Grande)______57 New York. ______Sacandaga (Sacandaga River) ______42 North Carolina _ _ High Rock (Yadkin River) ______24 North Dakota_____ Garrison (Missouri River) ______610 Ohio ______St. Marys (Grand), (Beaver and Jennings Creeks) ______21 Oklahoma. ______Lake Texoma (Denison), (Red River) 5 ______223 Oregon ______McNary (Columbia River) 6______59 Pennsylvania. Pymatuning (Shenango River)______26 South Carolina _ _ Lake Marion (Santee River) ______172 South Dakota _ Oahe (Missouri River)______587 Tennessee ______Pickwick Landing (Tennessee River) ______73 Texas ______Lake Texoma (Denison), (Red River) 7 ______223 Utah ______Sevier Bridge (Sevier River) 8 ______17 Virginia ______John H. Kerr (Roanoke River) ______149 Washington _ Franklin D. Roosevelt (Grand Coulee), (Columbia River) _ __ _ 130 West Virginia ____ Blue Stone (New River) ______14 Wisconsin ______Petenwell (Wisconsin River) ______36 Wyoming ______Boysen (Big Horn River)______35

1 Arizona and Nevada. The largest reservoir wholly within Arizona is San Carlos (Coolidge) Reservoir on the Gila River, surface area, 31 sq mi. 2 Georgia and South Carolina. The largest reservoir wholly within Georgia is Buford Reservoir (Lake Sidney Lanier) on Chattahoochee River, surface area, 59 sq mi. 3 Keokuk Lock and Dam No. 19 on the Mississippi River, common to Illinois and Iowa, has a surface area of 44 sq mi. 4 Nevada and Arizona. The largest reservoir wholly within Nevada is Rye Patch Reservoir on the Humboldt River, surface area, 17 sq mi. 5 Oklahoma and Texas. Eufaula Reservoir under construction on the Canadian River, and wholly within Oklahoma, may have a surface area as large as that of Lake Texoma, or slightly larger. 6 Oregon and Washington. The largest reservoir wholly within Oregon is Owyhee Reservoir on Owyhee River, surface area, 20 sq mi. 'Texas and Oklahoma. McGhee Bend Reservoir under construction on Angelina River and wholly within Texas, may have a larger surface area than Lake Texoma. 8 Lake Powell under construction on the Colorado River (dam is in Arizona, but most of reservoir is in Utah) will have a surface area of 25t) sq mi. 20 PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Artificial reservoirs serve many purposes, reservoirs of the Tennessee Valley Author­ such as water supply, irrigation, flood con­ ity. On their shores are 13 State parks and trol, and power generation. They are indis­ 60 city and county parks, 330 commercially pensable to our national economy and to our operated fishing camps, boat docks, and re­ standard of living. Many reservoirs are open sorts, 40 camps operated by Boy and Girl to the general public for recreational pur­ Scouts, YWCA and YMCA, church and educa­ poses, and thus offer the advantages of natural tional groups, and 50 private clubs. About lakes. At two reservoirs mentioned in this 7,000 persons have acquired lakefront lots report, Lake Mead (fig. 5) and Franklin D. on which they have built vacation homes (L. Roosevelt Lake, the National Park Service B. Leopold and H. B. Kinnison, written com­ administers recreational areas. munication, 1962).

An outstanding example of the use of res­ ervoirs for recreational purposes are the

Figure 5. Lake Mead at National Recreation Area. Scene is at Boulder Beach marina. Photograph by National Park Service. PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES 21

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Lobeck, A. K., 1939, Geomorphology: New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 731 p. Antevs, Ernst, 1938, Rainfall and tree growth McGlashan, H. D., and Dean, H. J., 1913, Wa­ in the Great Basin: Am. Geographical Soc. ter resources of California, pt. 3, Stream Spec. Pub. no. 21 and Carnegie Inst. Pub. measurements in the Great Basin and Pa­ no. 469, 97 p. cific coast river basins: U.S. Geol. Survey Briggs, L. J., 1962, When Oregon eruptions Water-Supply Paper 300, p. 29-33. gave birth to Crater Lake: Natl. Geog. Soc. Mahoney, J. R., 1961, University lands: Bur. Jour., v. 122, no. 1, p. 128-134. Econ. and Business Research, Coll. of Brown, J. S., 1923, The Salton Sea region. Business, Univ. Utah, 94 p. California: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Martin, Jim, 1962, Northeastern California's Paper 497, 229 p. uncrowded Eagle Lake: Los Angeles, Sea Burns, Helen, 1962, Salton sea story: Palm and Pacific Motorboat, v. 54, no. 8, p. 34 35. Desert,Calif., Desert Magazine Press,34 p. Mertie, J. B. Jr., 1938, The Nushagak dis­ Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, 1921, Diver­ trict. Alaska: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 903, sion of water from the Great Lakes and 96 p. Niagara River: Washington, 415 p. Morrison, R.B., 1961, Correlation of deposits Davis, J. H., 1943, The natural features of of Lakes Lahontan and Bonneville and the southern Florida: Florida Geol. Survey, glacial sequences of the Sierra Nevada and Geol. Bull 25, 311 p. Wasatch Mountains, California, Nevada, Fenneman, N.M.,1931, Physiography of west­ and Utah, in Geol. Survey Research, 1961: ern United States: New York, McGraw-Hill U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 424-D, p. Book Co., 534 p. D122-D124. 1938, Physiography of eastern United Piper, A. M., Robinson, T.W., and Park, C. F., States: New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Jr., 1939, Geology and ground-water re­ 691 p. sources of the Harney basin, Oregon: U.S. Feth, J. H., 1961, A new map of western con­ Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 841, terminous United States showing the maxi­ 189 p. mum known or inferred extent of Pleisto­ Russell, I. C., 1885, Geological history of cene lakes, in Geol. Survey Research, 1961: Lake Lahontan, a Quaternary lake of north­ U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 424-B, p. 110. western Nevada: U.S. Geol. Survey Mono­ Gilbert, G. K., 1890, Lake Bonneville: U.S. graph 11, 288 p. Geol. Survey Monograph 1, 438 p. Swenson, H. A., and Colby, B. R., 1955, Chem­ Harding, S. T., 1935, Changes in lake levels ical quality of surface waters in Devils in Great Basin area: Civil Engr., v. 5, p. Lake basin. North Dakota: U.S. Geol. Sur­ 87-90. vey Water-Supply Paper 1295, 82 p. 1962, Evaporation from Pyramid and Thomas, N. O., and Harbeck, G. E., Jr., Winnemucca Lakes, Nevada: Am. Soc. Civil 1956, Reservoirs in the United States: U.S. Engineers Proc., Irrigation and Drainage Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 13 60-A, Div. Jour. v. 88, no. IR1, pt. 1, p. 1-11. 99 p. Hardman, George, and Venstrom, Cruz, 1941, Trimble, D. E., and Carr, W. J., 1961, The A 100-year record of Truckee River run­ Michaud delta and Bonneville River near off estimated from changes in levels and Pocatello, Idaho, in Geol. Survey Research, volumes of Pyramid and Winnemucca 1961: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 424-B, Lakes: Am. Geophys. Union, Trans. of p. B164-B166. 1941, pt. 1, p. 71-90. U.S. Lake Survey, 1952, Great Lakes Pilot: Hussey, R. C., 1947, Historical Geology: New Bull. no. 61, 536 p. York, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 465 p. Waring, G. A., 1908, Geology and water re­ Hutchinson, G. E., 1957, A treatise on limnol­ sources of a portion of south-central Ore­ ogy, v. 1 Geography, physics, and chemis­ gon: U.S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper try: New York, JohnWiley and Sons, 1014 p. 220, 86 p. Kreiger, R.A., Hatchett, J. L. and Poole, J. L., Water Newsletter, 196la, New York, Water 1957, Preliminary survey of the saline- Information Center, v. 3, no. 15, 4 p. water resources of the United States: U.S. 1961b, New York, Water Information Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1374, Center, v. 3, no. 17, 4 p. 172 p. Welch, P. S., 1952, Limnology: 2d ed., New Langbein, W. B., 1961, Salinity and hydrology York, McGraw-Hill Co., 538 p. of closed lakes: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 412, 20 p. 22 PRINCIPAL LAKES OF THE UNITED STATES

Winslow, A. G., and Kister, L. R., 1956, Sa- Zones, C. P., 1961, Ground-water reconnais- line water resources of Texas: U.S. Geol. sance of Winnemucca Lake Valley, Persh- Survey Water-Supply Paper 1365, 105 p. ing and Washoe Counties, Nevada: U.S. Wolcott, E. E., 1961, Lakes of Washington: Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1539-C, Washington Dept. Conserv., Div. Water p. Cl C18. Res., Water Supply Bull. 14, v. 1, West­ ern Washington, 619 p.

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