Otter Lake (Illinois)
Encyclopedia
Otter Lake is a 765-acre (3.0 km²) reservoir
in Macoupin County, Illinois
. It is located 6 miles (10 km) west of Girard
. The reservoir is named after Otter Creek
, a tributary of Macoupin Creek
and the Illinois River
.
Otter Creek was dammed to provide flood control
, water-based recreation
, and a source of clean water
for North Otter and South Otter Townships within Macoupin County. Recreation centers on fishing opportunities, with the lake managed for striped bass
, crappie
, and muskie
.
There is a power limit on the lake, with motors banned if stronger than 115 horsepower. The lake is troubled by sedimentation
, with riprap applied to many patches of shoreline to reduce (but not eliminate) erosion of silt into the lake. Historically, quantities of atrazine
have entered the lake from nearby farm fields to which the chemical is applied.
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...
in Macoupin County, Illinois
Macoupin County, Illinois
Macoupin County is a county located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 47,765, which is a decrease of 2.6% from 49,019 in 2000. The county seat is Carlinville. Macoupin County is an outlying county of the Metro-East region...
. It is located 6 miles (10 km) west of Girard
Girard, Illinois
Girard is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,245 at the 2000 census, and 2,152 at a 2009 estimate.-Geography:Girard is located at ....
. The reservoir is named after Otter Creek
Otter Creek
-Water bodies:*Otter Creek , a tributary of the Little Harpeth River*Otter Creek , a tributary of Lake Champlain**Otter Creek Brewing located in Middlebury, Vermont-Other uses:*Otter Creek, Florida, a town...
, a tributary of Macoupin Creek
Macoupin Creek
Macoupin Creek is a tributary of the Illinois River, which it joins near the village of Hardin, Illinois.The word macoupin refers to the yellow pond lily , a native plant of the regional wetlands, and a favorite food source of local Indians. It has a large rootstock that was baked in a fire pit...
and the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
.
Otter Creek was dammed to provide 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...
, water-based recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
, and a source of clean water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
for North Otter and South Otter Townships within Macoupin County. Recreation centers on fishing opportunities, with the lake managed for striped bass
Striped bass
The striped bass is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and the state saltwater fish of New York, Virginia, and New Hampshire...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, and muskie
Muskie
Muskie may refer to:*Ed Muskie, American politician*Muskellunge, freshwater fish native to North America...
.
There is a power limit on the lake, with motors banned if stronger than 115 horsepower. The lake is troubled by sedimentation
Sedimentation
Sedimentation is the tendency for particles in suspension to settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained, and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the forces acting on them: these forces can be due to gravity, centrifugal acceleration...
, with riprap applied to many patches of shoreline to reduce (but not eliminate) erosion of silt into the lake. Historically, quantities of atrazine
Atrazine
Atrazine, 2-chloro-4--6--s-triazine, an organic compound consisting of an s-triazine-ring is a widely used herbicide. Its use is controversial due to widespread contamination in drinking water and its associations with birth defects and menstrual problems when consumed by humans at concentrations...
have entered the lake from nearby farm fields to which the chemical is applied.