Lake Chelan
| Lake Chelan | |
|---|---|
 Lake Chelan, looking northwest from Lakeside Park near Chelan. |
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| Location | Chelan County, Washington, USA |
| Coordinates | 47°50′28″N 120°02′47″W / 47.84111°N 120.04639°WCoordinates: 47°50′28″N 120°02′47″W / 47.84111°N 120.04639°W |
| Primary inflows | Stehekin River |
| Primary outflows | Chelan River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 55 mi (89 km) |
| Surface area | 52.1 sq mi (135 km2) |
| Average depth | 474 ft (144 m) |
| Max. depth | 1,486 ft (453 m) |
| Water volume | 15,800,000 acre feet (1.95×1010 m3) |
| Residence time | 10.6 years |
| Shore length1 | 109.2 mi (175.7 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,098 ft (335 m) |
| Settlements | Chelan, Manson, Stehekin, Holden, Lucerne |
| References | [1][2] |
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1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
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Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S.[1] It is the largest natural lake in Washington state.
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Name[edit]
The name Chelan is a Salish Indian word, "Tsi - Laan," meaning 'deep water'.[3]
Geography[edit]
Fed by streams from the Cascade Range and the Chelan Mountains, Lake Chelan has a maximum depth of 1,486 ft (453 m) (although some sources cite 1,420 feet),[citation needed] making it the third deepest lake in the country and the 26th deepest in the world. The surface of the lake is 1,098 feet (335 m) above sea level, while the average width of the lake is one mile.[1]
Basin[edit]
The city of Chelan sits at the southeast tip of the lake, where its water flows into the Chelan River through the hydroelectric Lake Chelan Dam. At the northwest end of the lake is the town of Stehekin, where the town's namesake river, the Stehekin River, flows into the lake. The Stehekin is the lake's largest inflow stream. Access to the far end of the lake is limited to boat, float plane, or hiking.
Lake Chelan State Park lies along the southern shore of the lake, and can be accessed from the city of Chelan by road. The northern portion of the lake is protected by Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. The area is also home to the Lake Chelan AVA.
Recent history[edit]
Swimmer for cancer awareness[edit]
- Background
In 2010, attorney Emily von Jentzen[4] became the first woman (and third person) to swim across Flathead Lake in Montana.[5] She started in Somers Bay and finished at Boettcher Park near the Polson golf course, and dedicated each mile of her swim to someone with cancer. The task was performed to benefit a girl battling cancer at the time.[6][4]
- Chelan swim
The next year, von Jentzen became the first person to swim the length of Lake Chelan, which she did in 36 hours.[7][8] She performed the feat to raise money for Katelyn Roker, a young girl battling stage-4 neuroblastoma.[4][5] von Jentzen chronicled her training for the swim on a blog, A Lakke for Katelyn. [sic][9]
Images[edit]
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Lake Chelan as seen from the southern shore off United States Highway 97.
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View of Manson orchards from the south shore of Lake Chelan
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View uplake from the south shore of Lake Chelan
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View of Lake Chelan from Lakeshore trail, near Stehekin
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Domke Falls is the best known waterfall that drops into the lake
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "TMDL Case Study: Lake Chelan, Washington". EPA Number: 841F94001. Environmental Protection Agency. January 1994. Retrieved 2007-02-11.
- ^ Kendra, Will; Lynn Singleton (January 1987). "Morphometry of Lake Chelan". Ecology Report 87-1. Washington State Department of Ecology. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
- ^ "Native American Legends". USDA Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Region. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
- ^ a b c Swim; Seattle Times article; retrieved ?
- ^ a b Kalispell Woman Becomes First Person to Swim Lake Chelan; Flathead Beacon article; retrieved ?
- ^ Emily von Jentzen Profile; on KPAX
- ^ Story; LA Times; retrieved ?
- ^ She Conquers Lake Chelan; September 2, 2011; Wenatchee World article online; retrieved ?
- ^ A Lakke for Katelyn blog
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lake Chelan |
- National Parks Service Lake Chelan
- University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – Lawrence Denny Lindsley Photographs Includes 66 images (ca. 1907–1950) of Lake Chelan and nearby settlements.
- Schoolbus plunges into Lake Chelan, killing 15 students and the driver, on November 26, 1945.
- Emily von Jentzen swims Lake Chelan
