Fish Lake (Jackson County, Oregon)
Encyclopedia
Fish Lake is a reservoir
located 4639 feet (1,414 m) above sea level in Jackson County
, Oregon
, United States
. It is 35 miles (56.3 km) northeast of Medford
.
Originally a natural lake, it was enlarged by the 50 feet (15.2 m) tall Fish Lake Dam, which impounds the north fork of Little Butte Creek
, in the Rogue River
watershed.
es: Mount McLoughlin
to the north and Brown Mountain
to the south. Two thousand year-old andesite
lava flows erupted from Brown Mountain surround Fish Lake's southern shore.
In 1898, the Fish Lake Water Company was established to help irrigate
the Rogue Valley
. The company proposed to enlarge Fish Lake and nearby Fourmile Lake
for added water storage. The temporary Fish Lake Dam was constructed between 1902 and 1908. In 1906, Fourmile Lake Dam was constructed. The two lakes were connected in 1915 by the Cascade Canal
, bringing water from Fourmile Lake in the Klamath River
watershed over the Cascade
Divide to Fish Lake, to supplement Little Butte Creek. The temporary dam was replaced by a permanent earthfill dam
.
The dam was modified again in 1922.
In 1955, a new spillway
was constructed. An auxiliary spillway was added in 1996. The lake is now about three times its original size.
and a 20 square miles (51.8 km²) drainage basin.
It has an average depth of 18 feet (5.5 m), and a maximum depth of 31 feet (9.4 m). Fish Lake Dam stands 50 feet (15.2 m) tall and 960 feet (292.6 m) long.
and brook trout
are common in the lake. Osprey
and eagle
s have been spotted in the area.
passes by Fish Lake's eastern shore.
Three campgrounds are located around the lake.
Popular activities include fishing
, swimming, and boating
.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
located 4639 feet (1,414 m) above sea level in Jackson County
Jackson County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument* Crater Lake National Park * Klamath National Forest * Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest * Umpqua National Forest -Demographics:...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is 35 miles (56.3 km) northeast of Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
.
Originally a natural lake, it was enlarged by the 50 feet (15.2 m) tall Fish Lake Dam, which impounds the north fork of Little Butte Creek
Little Butte Creek (Rogue River)
Little Butte Creek is a long tributary of the Rogue River located in the U.S. state of Oregon. Its drainage basin consists of approximately of Jackson County, and another in Klamath County. The north fork of the creek begins at Fish Lake, while the south fork begins near Brown Mountain. The two...
, in the Rogue River
Rogue River (Oregon)
The Rogue River in southwestern Oregon in the United States flows about in a generally westward direction from the Cascade Range to the Pacific Ocean. Known for its salmon runs, whitewater rafting, and rugged scenery, it was one of the original eight rivers named in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act...
watershed.
Geology
Fish Lake is located between two volcanoVolcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
es: Mount McLoughlin
Mount McLoughlin
Mount McLoughlin is a steep-sided lava cone built on top of a shield volcano in the Cascade Range of southern Oregon and within the Sky Lakes Wilderness area. It is one of the volcanic peaks in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. The mountain is north of Mount Shasta, south of Crater Lake, and west of Upper...
to the north and Brown Mountain
Brown Mountain (Klamath County, Oregon)
Brown Mountain is a small cinder cone on top of a shield volcano located in Cascade Volcanic Arc in Klamath and Jackson counties, Oregon. Most of the mountain, including its peak, is in western Klamath County, but its western flanks trail off into eastern Jackson County...
to the south. Two thousand year-old andesite
Andesite
Andesite is an extrusive igneous, volcanic rock, of intermediate composition, with aphanitic to porphyritic texture. In a general sense, it is the intermediate type between basalt and dacite. The mineral assemblage is typically dominated by plagioclase plus pyroxene and/or hornblende. Magnetite,...
lava flows erupted from Brown Mountain surround Fish Lake's southern shore.
History
Fish Lake was originally a small natural lake.In 1898, the Fish Lake Water Company was established to help irrigate
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
the Rogue Valley
Rogue Valley
The Rogue Valley is a farming and timber-producing region in southwestern Oregon in the United States. Located along the middle Rogue River and its tributaries in Josephine and Jackson counties, the valley forms the cultural and economic heart of Southern Oregon near the California border. The...
. The company proposed to enlarge Fish Lake and nearby Fourmile Lake
Fourmile Lake
Fourmile Lake is a reservoir located above sea level in Klamath County, Oregon, United States. It is northeast of Medford....
for added water storage. The temporary Fish Lake Dam was constructed between 1902 and 1908. In 1906, Fourmile Lake Dam was constructed. The two lakes were connected in 1915 by the Cascade Canal
Cascade Canal
The Cascade Canal is a canal located in Klamath and Jackson counties, in the U.S. State of Oregon. It delivers water from Fourmile Lake in the Klamath River watershed over the Cascade Divide to Fish Lake in the Rogue River watershed....
, bringing water from Fourmile Lake in the Klamath River
Klamath River
The Klamath River is an American river that flows southwest through Oregon and northern California, cutting through the Cascade Range to empty into the Pacific Ocean. The river drains an extensive watershed of almost that stretches from the high desert country of the Great Basin to the temperate...
watershed over the Cascade
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
Divide to Fish Lake, to supplement Little Butte Creek. The temporary dam was replaced by a permanent earthfill dam
Embankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
.
The dam was modified again in 1922.
In 1955, a new spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
was constructed. An auxiliary spillway was added in 1996. The lake is now about three times its original size.
Statistics
Fish Lake has an average surface area of 483 acres (1,954,633.4 m²), an average volume of 7836 acre.ft,and a 20 square miles (51.8 km²) drainage basin.
It has an average depth of 18 feet (5.5 m), and a maximum depth of 31 feet (9.4 m). Fish Lake Dam stands 50 feet (15.2 m) tall and 960 feet (292.6 m) long.
Fauna
Rainbow troutRainbow 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 brook trout
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...
are common in the lake. Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
and eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s have been spotted in the area.
Recreation
The Pacific Crest TrailPacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
passes by Fish Lake's eastern shore.
Three campgrounds are located around the lake.
Popular activities include fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, swimming, and boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
.