Summer Lake (Oregon)
| Summer Lake | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
Summer Lake
|
|
| Location |
Lake County, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°50′N 120°45′W / 42.83°N 120.75°WCoordinates: 42°50′N 120°45′W / 42.83°N 120.75°W |
| Type | Natural, endorheic, hypereutrophic |
| Primary inflows | Ana River |
| Primary outflows | None |
| Catchment area | 376 square miles (970 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 15 miles (24 km) |
| Max. width | 5 miles (8 km) |
| Surface area | 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) |
| Average depth | 1 foot (0.30 m) |
| Max. depth | 2 feet (0.61 m) |
| Water volume | 25,000 acre feet (31,000,000 m3) |
| Residence time | 3.5 years |
| Shore length1 | 35 miles (56 km) |
| Surface elevation | 4,150 feet (1,260 m) |
| Settlements | Summer Lake, Paisley |
| References | |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Summer Lake is a large, shallow, alkali lake in Lake County, Oregon, United States located 5 miles (8 km) south of the small, unincorporated community of Summer Lake, Oregon. At high water it is about 15 miles (24 km) long and 5 miles (8 km) wide, and supports a wide variety of birds and other wildlife in its marshes. The lake was named by explorer John C. Fremont on his expedition into Central Oregon in 1843.
The arid lands around Summer Lake were once lush. During the Epoch, vast areas of this region of south central Oregon were covered by lakes and wetlands. As the last ice age was ending, rain and runoff from melting snow filled the lowlands throughout this region of the Great Basin, creating an immense, freshwater lake called Lake Chewaucan. The lake covered 461 square miles (1,190 km2) at depths of up to 375 feet (114 m).
Lake Chewaucan covered the Summer Lake basin and drainage system much of the late Pleistocene. The last high water period is thought to have occurred about 13,000 years ago. There is archaeological evidence of human use of Lake Chewaucan during this time. The oldest known human remains in the Western Hemisphere come from the Paisley Caves, which are 10 miles from Summer Lake currently. Dennis Jenkins of the University of Oregon conducted multiple excavations of the Paisley Caves from 2009 to 2011 and recovered hundreds of coproltes, or desiccated feces. Multiple coprolites were found to contain human DNA, and using radio carbon dating, one was dated to 14,500 years ago. This fecal matter is the oldest known human remains in the Western Hemisphere.
Lake Chewaucan began to dry up at the close of the Pleistocene. As it shrank, salts and alkali were concentrated in its remaining waters. The exposed lake bottom sediments were blown by the prevailing westerly winds to form the sand dunes that still lie on the east side of Summer Lake.
Today, Summer Lake and Abert Lake are separated by 20 miles (32 km) and are the only remnants of Lake Chewaucan. At high water, Summer Lake is about 15 miles (24 km) long and 5 miles (8 km) wide; however, water levels fluctuate dramatically, and sometimes the lake is almost dry in summer. The main source of fresh water is the small spring-fed Ana River, which is used for irrigation.
...
Wikipedia