From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Waldo Lake
Waldo Lake
Waldo Lake Location
The lake is located in Lane County at an elevation of 5,414
feet (1,650 m) above sea level. Access is via Forest Service
Road 5897 from Oregon Route 58 approximately 18 miles
(29 km) east of Oakridge. The forest road travels 12 miles
(19 km) to the lake.
History
The area was first inhabited by Native Americans, and
the lake was later discovered by Molalla Indian Charlie
Tufti.[2] According to pioneer resident Frank S. Warner it
Location Cascade Mountains, Lane County, Oregon, was then named Pengra Lake after Byron J. Pengra, a pi-
USA oneer railroad champion.[2] Later the lake was named in
Coordinates 43°43′08″N 122°02′27″W / 43.718889°N honor of Judge John B. Waldo from the Oregon Supreme
122.040833°W / 43.718889; Court who helped push for preservation in the Cascades
-122.040833Coordinates: 43°43′08″N which began with the Cascade Forest Reserve established
122°02′27″W / 43.718889°N 122.040833°W / by President Cleveland in 1893. Waldo was the son of
43.718889; -122.040833 Daniel Waldo for whom the Waldo Hills are named.[2]
Lake type Alpine The area was also used by sheep farmers for graizing
prior to the establishment of recreation facilities by the
Primary North Fork Middle Fork Willamette River
outflows
Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression
in 1939. Later facilities were built by the Forest Service in
Basin United States 1971.
countries
In 1979 the lake received around 10,000 visitor days
per year, and by 1989 that number increased to 32,000
Max. length 5.75 mi (9.25 km) per year.[3] Between those years, in 1984 37,000 acres to
Max. width 2.75 mi (4.4 km) the north, west, and south were designated as wilderness
area by the federal government.[3] In 1996 a forest fire,
Surface > 10 sq mi (26 km2)
the Charlton fire, swept by the lake and forced the evacu-
area
ation of several campgrounds while burning much of the
Average 128 ft (39 m) mean north side of the lake’s surrounding forest.[4]
depth
Max. depth 420 ft (130 m) Reservoir plans
Water 0.9537 km3 (0.2288 cu mi) Starting in 1905 plans were begun to use the lake as a
volume reservoir for irrigation in the Willamette Valley.[5] To
this end the Waldo Lake Irrigation and Power Company
Residence 32 years
was created in 1908 by several people including F.H. Ray.
time
In 1909 a permit was issued by the Forest Service to build
Surface 5,414 ft (1,650 m) a tunnel from the lake to a nearby creek. Construction
elevation of the tunnel began that year and finished in 1914 under
the direction of engineer Simon Klovdahl. The 500-foot
Waldo Lake is a lake in the Cascade Mountains of the U.S. (150 m) tunnel was able to lower the lake level by 25 feet
state of Oregon. It is the second largest natural non-alkali (7.6 m).[6] However, the company was never able to pros-
lake in Oregon with more than 10 square miles (26 km²) per and the head gates on the SW shore were sealed in
of water and a maximum depth of 420 feet (130 m). The 1960.
lake is named after Oregon politician, judge, and conser-
vationist John B. Waldo.[1]
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Waldo Lake
Details See also
• List of lakes in Oregon
• Waldo Lake Wilderness
References
[1] Snowshoe Routes: Oregon, Shea Andersen, 2001, The
Mountaineers Books ISBN 0-89886-833-5
[2] ^ McArthur, Lewis A.; Lewis L. McArthur (2003)
[1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (Seventh ed.).
Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press.
ISBN 0-87595-277-1 (trade paperback), ISBN
0-87595-278-X (hardcover).
The lake from above
[3] ^ Hill, Richard. "Their goal is clear", The Oregonian,
August 16, 1990
Waldo Lake has a surface area of 9.8 square miles
[4] ^ Hill, Kelly. "Saving the silence at Waldo Lake",
(25 km2).[7] It has an average depth of 128 feet (39 m)
The Oregonian, June 30, 2004.
with a maximum depth of 420 feet (130 m). This makes
[5] "Waldo Lake Wilderness and Recreation Area".
Waldo the second deepest lake in the state after Crater
Forest Service Maps. U.S. Forest Service.
Lake.[7] Like Crater Lake, Waldo Lake is ultraoligotrophic
http://www.fs.fed.us/.
(having extremely clear water with very little organic
[6] Two Firms Applying For Project At Waldo Lake, Eugene
material). The lake was restocked with trout every other
Register-Guard, July 20, 1931.
year, until 1990 when efforts to preserve the water clar-
[7] ^ Sleeth, Peter. "Goodbye, crowds solitude at Waldo
ity halted the practice. The lake has a 10 miles per hour
Lake", The Oregonian, September 12, 2004.
(16 km/h) speed limit for boats, but in 2010 gasoline mo-
[8] Mortenson, Eric (February 5, 2010). "Gas motors
tors were banned while electric motors are still al-
gone from Waldo Lake, but public fight lingers".
lowed.[8]
The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/
business/index.ssf/2010/02/
Recreation gas_motors_gone_from_waldo_lak.html. Retrieved
• Fishing 9 February 2010.
• Boating
• Hiking
• Campgrounds: External links
• North Waldo • US Forest Service: Waldo Lake
• Shadow Bay • US Forest Service: Waldo Lake Wilderness
• Gold Lake • PSU: Center for Lakes and Reservoirs
• Taylor Burn • Willamette National Forest: Waldo Lake Basin
• Islet Management History
There are 205 designated campsites total among the • Implications of Fish Stocking at Waldo Lake, Oregon
campgrounds and an additional 50 primitive tent sites
around the lake.[4]
Surrounding area
Besides the lake, the area includes Waldo Lake Wilder-
ness Area. Additionally, the Pacific Crest Trail passes
through the area. The area is also the headwaters of the
North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River.
There are numerous alpine lakes and small mountain
peaks around Waldo Lake.
Waldo Lake and the surrounding area is part of both
the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Waldo_Lake&oldid=457448894"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Waldo Lake
Categories:
• Cascade Range
• Lakes of Oregon
• Civilian Conservation Corps in Oregon
• Landforms of Lane County, Oregon
• Willamette National Forest
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