Elk State Park
Encyclopedia
Elk State Park is a 3192 acres (1,291.8 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Jones Township, Elk County
and Sergeant Township, McKean County
, Pennsylvania
, in the United States. East Branch Clarion River Lake
is a man-made lake covering 1160 acres (469.4 ha) within the park. The lake and streams in the park are stocked with cold and warm water fish. There are 3151 acres (1,275.2 ha) of woods open to hunting
.
was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
by damming the East Branch of the Clarion River
. Construction of the rolled earth, impervious core dam
was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944
. The lake is one of sixteen flood control
projects administered by the Pittsburgh
District of the Army Corps of Engineers. East Branch Clarion River Lake helps to provide flood protection for the Clarion River
valley and the lower portions of the Allegheny River
and the upper portions of the Ohio River
.
The dam is 7.3 miles (11.7 km) upstream from the confluence
of the East and West branches of the Clarion River. It was constructed in 1952 for $9 million and serves a 72.4 square miles (187.5 km²) drainage area. It is estimated that East Branch Clarion River Lake has prevented $81 million in damage. The dam was especially important in curtailing damage during the 1972 floods caused by Hurricane Agnes
.
East Branch Clarion River Lake also serves recreational purposes. Controlled releases of water during the dry summer months help to improve water quality and quantity for industrial
and domestic
uses. These releases of the lake waters also improve navigation on the rivers and enhance aquatic
life.
East Branch Clarion River Lake is a destination for both fisherman
and recreational boaters. The lake is home to cold water fishing for walleye
, smallmouth bass
, muskellunge
, brook
, lake
, rainbow
and brown trout
. The creek
s of the park are stocked
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
. There is a native brook trout population in some of the smaller streams of the park. There is no limit on the power of the boats. All boats are required to have current registration with any state. Ice fishing and ice boating are common winter activities on East Branch Clarion River Lake.
. The common game species are black bears
, squirrels
, white-tailed deer
, and turkeys
. The hunting of groundhog
s is prohibited. Hunters also use the park to gain access to the nearby State Game Lands and Elk State Forest
.
Elk County, Pennsylvania
Elk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 31,946.Elk County was created on April 18, 1843, from parts of Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean Counties, and is named for the Eastern elk that historically inhabited the region. Its county...
and Sergeant Township, McKean County
McKean County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 45,936 people, 18,024 households, and 12,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 21,644 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, in the United States. East Branch Clarion River Lake
East Branch Clarion River Lake
East Branch Clarion River Lake, or East Branch Lake is a reservoir at Elk State Park in Elk County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by damming the East Branch of the Clarion River. Construction of the rolled earth, impervious core dam was...
is a man-made lake covering 1160 acres (469.4 ha) within the park. The lake and streams in the park are stocked with cold and warm water fish. There are 3151 acres (1,275.2 ha) of woods open to hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
.
East Branch Clarion River Lake
East Branch Clarion River LakeEast Branch Clarion River Lake
East Branch Clarion River Lake, or East Branch Lake is a reservoir at Elk State Park in Elk County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by damming the East Branch of the Clarion River. Construction of the rolled earth, impervious core dam was...
was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
by damming the East Branch of the Clarion River
Clarion River
The Clarion River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 110 mi long, in west central Pennsylvania in the United States...
. Construction of the rolled earth, impervious core dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944
Flood Control Act of 1944
The Pick-Sloan Flood Control Act of 1944 , enacted in the 2nd session of the 78th Congress, is U.S. legislation that authorized the construction of numerous dams and modifications to previously existing dams, as well as levees across the United States...
. The lake is one of sixteen flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
projects administered by the Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
District of the Army Corps of Engineers. East Branch Clarion River Lake helps to provide flood protection for the Clarion River
Clarion River
The Clarion River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 110 mi long, in west central Pennsylvania in the United States...
valley and the lower portions of the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
and the upper portions of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
The dam is 7.3 miles (11.7 km) upstream from the confluence
Confluence (geography)
In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...
of the East and West branches of the Clarion River. It was constructed in 1952 for $9 million and serves a 72.4 square miles (187.5 km²) drainage area. It is estimated that East Branch Clarion River Lake has prevented $81 million in damage. The dam was especially important in curtailing damage during the 1972 floods caused by Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
.
East Branch Clarion River Lake also serves recreational purposes. Controlled releases of water during the dry summer months help to improve water quality and quantity for industrial
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
and domestic
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
uses. These releases of the lake waters also improve navigation on the rivers and enhance aquatic
Aquatic ecosystem
An aquatic ecosystem is an ecosystem in a body of water. Communities of organisms that are dependent on each other and on their environment live in aquatic ecosystems. The two main types of aquatic ecosystems are marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems....
life.
East Branch Clarion River Lake is a destination for both fisherman
Fisherman
A fisherman or fisher is someone who captures fish and other animals from a body of water, or gathers shellfish. Worldwide, there are about 38 million commercial and subsistence fishermen and fish farmers. The term can also be applied to recreational fishermen and may be used to describe both men...
and recreational boaters. The lake is home to cold water fishing for walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, muskellunge
Muskellunge
A muskellunge , also known as a muskelunge, muscallonge, milliganong, or maskinonge , is a large, relatively uncommon freshwater fish of North America. Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae...
, brook
Brook trout
The brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, is a species of fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. In many parts of its range, it is known as the speckled trout or squaretail. A potamodromous population in Lake Superior are known as coaster trout or, simply, as coasters...
, lake
Lake trout
Lake trout is a freshwater char living mainly in lakes in northern North America. Other names for it include mackinaw, lake char , touladi, togue, and grey trout. In Lake Superior, they can also be variously known as siscowet, paperbellies and leans...
, rainbow
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
and brown trout
Brown trout
The brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
. The creek
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
s of the park are stocked
Fish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is the state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
. There is a native brook trout population in some of the smaller streams of the park. There is no limit on the power of the boats. All boats are required to have current registration with any state. Ice fishing and ice boating are common winter activities on East Branch Clarion River Lake.
Hunting
There are 3151 acres (1,275.2 ha) of woods open to hunting. Hunters are expected to follow the rules and regulations of the Pennsylvania Game CommissionPennsylvania Game Commission
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States...
. The common game species are black bears
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, squirrels
Eastern Gray Squirrel
The eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
, white-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer
The white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
, and turkeys
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
. The hunting of groundhog
Groundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
s is prohibited. Hunters also use the park to gain access to the nearby State Game Lands and Elk State Forest
Elk State Forest
Elk State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #13. The main offices are located in Emporium in Cameron County , Pennsylvania in the United States....
.
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48.3 km) of Elk State Park:- Bendigo State ParkBendigo State ParkBendigo State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Jones Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania in the United States.The park is in a valley on the East Branch Clarion River. Only of the park is developed. The other is undeveloped woodlands of beech, birch, cherry and maple.-History:Bendigo State...
(Elk County) - Bucktail State Park Natural AreaBucktail State Park Natural AreaBucktail State Park Natural Area is a Pennsylvania state park in Cameron and Clinton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park follows Pennsylvania Route 120 for between Emporium and Lock Haven...
(Cameron CountyCameron County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 5,974 people, 2,465 households, and 1,624 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 4,592 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
and Clinton CountiesClinton County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 37,914 people, 14,773 households, and 9,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile . There were 18,166 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
) - Kinzua Bridge State ParkKinzua Bridge State ParkKinzua Bridge State Park is a Pennsylvania state park near Mount Jewett, in Hamlin and Keating Townships, McKean County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park lies between U.S...
(McKean CountyMcKean County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 45,936 people, 18,024 households, and 12,094 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 21,644 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
) - Parker Dam State ParkParker Dam State ParkParker Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Huston Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Moshannon State Forest. Parker Dam State park is north of Clearfield on Pennsylvania Route 153 just off exit 111 of Interstate 80. The park was...
(Clearfield CountyClearfield County, PennsylvaniaClearfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 81,642.Clearfield County was created on March 26, 1804, from parts of Huntingdon and Lycoming Counties but was administered as part of Centre County until 1812...
) - Sinnemahoning State ParkSinnemahoning State ParkSinnemahoning State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Grove Township, Cameron County and Wharton Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Elk State Forest and is mountainous with deep valleys. The park is home to the rarely seen Elk and Bald Eagle...
(Cameron and Potter CountiesPotter County, PennsylvaniaPotter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is in the Allegheny Plateau region. As of 2010, the population was 17,457. Its county seat is Coudersport. Potter County was named after James Potter, who was a general from Pennsylvania in the Continental Army during the...
) - Sizerville State ParkSizerville State ParkSizerville State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Portage Township, Cameron County and Portage Township, Potter County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is nearly surrounded by Elk State Forest making it part of one of the largest blocks of state-owned land in Pennsylvania...
(CameronCameron County, PennsylvaniaAs of the census of 2000, there were 5,974 people, 2,465 households, and 1,624 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile . There were 4,592 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
and Potter Counties)