Coldwater Lake (Washington)

Last updated
Coldwater Lake
Cold lake with Mt.StHellens in background.jpg
Coldwater Lake is seen here from the Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center. Mount St. Helens is in the background.
USA Washington relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Coldwater Lake
Location of Coldwater Lake in Washington
Location Washington, U.S.
Coordinates 46°18′14″N122°14′13″W / 46.304°N 122.237°W / 46.304; -122.237 Coordinates: 46°18′14″N122°14′13″W / 46.304°N 122.237°W / 46.304; -122.237
Type Landslide-dammed lake
Primary inflows Coldwater Creek
South Coldwater Creek
Primary outflows Coldwater Creek
Catchment area 16.55 sq mi (42.9 km2) [1]
Basin  countriesUnited States
First floodedMay 18, 1980
Max. length5 mi (8 km)
Max. width0.5 mi (0.8 km)
Surface area773.2 acres (312.9 ha) [2]
Average depth87 ft (27 m)
Max. depth180 ft (55 m)
Water volume67,300  acre⋅ft (83,000,000 m3) [3]
Surface elevation2,503 ft (763 m)
Islands Kim Island is the only permanent island, sutuated toward the west end of the lake. There are a few very shallow areas that break the surface depending on water levels.

Coldwater Lake is a barrier lake on the border of Cowlitz County and Skamania County, Washington in the United States. The lake was created during the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, which blocked its natural outlet, Coldwater Creek, with volcanic debris. It is one of several lakes in the area that were created or otherwise enlarged by the eruption.

Contents

Geography

The lake runs from northeast to southwest, with the west end in Cowlitz County and the east end in Skamania County. The portion of the lake in Skamania County is part of Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Coldwater Creek drains the lake on its southwest end and flows into the North Fork of the Toutle River, a tributary of the Cowlitz River, in turn a tributary of the Columbia River. Coldwater Lake is located 8 miles (13 km) north of Mount St. Helens, 5 miles (8 km) west of Spirit Lake. Castle Lake, formed in the same manner as Coldwater Lake during the 1980 eruption, is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) to the south. The area is about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Longview and 100 miles (160 km) north of Portland, Oregon. [4]

Coldwater is a ribbon lake, occupying the trough of a glacial valley. The surrounding ridges rise dramatically to heights of more than 1,000 feet (300 m) above the water. The length of the lake is about 5 miles (8.0 km) while the maximum width is no more than half a mile (0.8 km). [5] The water surface is 2,503 feet (763 m) above sea level and the surface area is 773 acres (313 ha). [2] The total watershed of Coldwater Lake is about 16.6 sq mi (43 km2). Coldwater Creek drains 5.4 square miles (14 km2) or 33% of the total, South Fork Coldwater Creek drains 6.3 square miles (16 km2) or 38%, and another 4.9 square miles (13 km2) or 30% drains directly into the lake. [1] Several smaller lakes or glacial tarns are part of the watershed; the named ones are Heart Lake and Snow Lake, which both flow into Coldwater Creek before entering Coldwater Lake. Mount Whittier, the highest point in the basin at 5,883-foot (1,793 m), sits at the head of the Coldwater Creek valley. [5] [6]

History

The eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, created a lahar or debris avalanche that rushed down the North Fork of the Toutle River, burying the whole valley up to 600 feet (180 m) deep. The lahar backed up Coldwater Creek for more than a mile (1.6 km), damming the creek and its tributary South Fork Coldwater Creek to a height of 180 feet (55 m). Over the next few months, almost 100,000 acre feet (120,000,000 m3) of water collected to form a lake 5 miles (8 km) in length. [3] At the rate the lake was filling, it was anticipated to overtop the landslide dam by late 1981 or 1982. Because the material forming the dam consisted of soft volcanic debris and ash, it would erode quickly if overtopped, causing serious flooding downstream. [7] [8]

Map showing lakes and other features in the Mount St. Helens area affected by the eruption. West is up. St Helens and nearby area from space.jpg
Map showing lakes and other features in the Mount St. Helens area affected by the eruption. West is up.

In early 1981, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers excavated a spillway and outlet channel for the lake, stabilizing it at 2,503 feet (763 m) above sea level with a volume of 67,300 acre feet (83,000,000 m3). [3] In May 1985 a tunnel was excavated to connect Spirit Lake to South Coldwater Creek. The eruption had blocked the outlet of Spirit Lake causing it to rise to dangerous levels. [8] The tunnel allowed excess water from Spirit Lake to drain into Coldwater Lake, and from there into the Toutle River. The landslide dam forming Coldwater Lake was closely monitored until 1998, when its stability was no longer deemed a serious concern. [8]

The lake has since been shrinking slowly due to erosion of the approximately 17-square-mile (44 km2) watershed, which was largely stripped of vegetation during the 1980 eruption. However, the area has recovered significantly in the intervening decades with second-growth forest returning. Several deltas have formed around the lake, the largest formed at South Coldwater Creek, whose valley sits closest to the blast zone. [1]

Recreation

The lake is now part of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, designated in 1982. Washington State Route 504 (the Spirit Lake Highway) provides access from Interstate 5 at Castle Rock. [9] Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center, located on the cliffs west of the lake, [6] provides a panoramic view of the valley; on weekends a Science and Learning Center is open to the public here. [10] The Coldwater Lake Recreation Area, located on the south end of the lake, is available for day use only as the area is located within the restricted zone of the National Monument. The recreation area includes a picnic area, restrooms and boat ramp (non-motorized watercraft only). The 0.6-mile (1 km) Birth of a Lake Trail is a boardwalk trail accessible from the recreation area, and includes interpretive displays discussing the formation of the lake by the eruption. [11] The Lakes Trail runs along the western shore and allows access to the Mount Margaret Backcountry beyond the lake. [12] [13]

The lake has had resident rainbow trout and cutthroat trout since the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) stocked it in the 1980s. Pre-1980 fish populations in Coldwater Creek and the Toutle River were wiped out by the eruption of Mount St. Helens. The DFW no longer stocks the lake but continues to manage it as a trout fishery. The daily catch limit is one fish, minimum length 16 inches (41 cm). [2] [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

Mount St. Helens Volcano in Washington State

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Portland, Oregon and 96 miles (154 km) south of Seattle, Washington. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a friend of explorer George Vancouver who made a survey of the area in the late 18th century. The volcano is located in the Cascade Range and is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes. This volcano is well known for its ash explosions and pyroclastic flows.

Cowlitz River river in the United States of America

The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens.

1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens Major volcanic eruption in Washington state, US

On March 27, 1980, a series of volcanic explosions and pyroclastic flows began at Mount St. Helens in Skamania County, Washington, United States. It initiated as a series of phreatic blasts from the summit then escalated on May 18, 1980, as a major explosive eruption. The eruption, which had a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 5, was the most significant to occur in the contiguous 48 U.S. states since the much smaller 1915 eruption of Lassen Peak in California. It has often been declared the most disastrous volcanic eruption in U.S. history. The eruption was preceded by a two-month series of earthquakes and steam-venting episodes, caused by an injection of magma at shallow depth below the volcano that created a large bulge and a fracture system on the mountain's north slope.

Spirit Lake (Washington) Lake in Skamania County, Washington, USA

Spirit Lake is a lake north of Mount St. Helens in Washington state. The lake was a popular tourist destination for many years until the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Prior to 1980, there were six camps on the shore of Spirit Lake: Boy Scout, the Girl Scout Camp at Spirit Lake, two YMCA camps, Harmony Fall Lodge, and another for the general public. There was also a number of lodges catering to visitors, including Spirit Lake Lodge and Mt. St. Helens Lodge; the latter was owned and operated by Harry R. Truman, who became entombed by the volcano's 1980 eruption.

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument National monument in Washington, United States of America.

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is a U.S. National Monument that includes the area around Mount St. Helens in Washington. It was established on August 27, 1982 by U.S. President Ronald Reagan following the 1980 eruption. The 110,000 acre (445 km2) National Volcanic Monument was set aside for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance.

North Fork Toutle River river in the United States of America

The North Fork Toutle River is a tributary of the Toutle River in southwestern Washington in the United States. The river has its headwaters near Spirit Lake, on the north side of Mount St. Helens, and flows 39 miles (63 km) to the Toutle River, about 17 miles (27 km) upstream of its confluence with the Cowlitz River. The largest tributary is the Green River, which joins near the unincorporated town of Toutle.

State Route 504 is a state highway in southwestern Washington state in the United States. It travels 52 miles (84 km) along the North Fork Toutle River to the Mount St. Helens area, serving as the main access to the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The highway begins at an interchange with Interstate 5 (I-5) and SR 411 in Castle Rock and terminates at the Johnston Ridge Observatory near Spirit Lake.

Toutle River river in the United States of America

The Toutle River is a 17.2-mile (27.7 km) tributary of the Cowlitz River in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises in two forks merging near Toutle below Mount St. Helens and joins the Cowlitz near Castle Rock, 20 miles (32 km) upstream of the larger river's confluence with the Columbia River.

Silver Lake, Washington Unincorporated community in Washington, United States

Silver Lake, sometimes Silverlake, is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington, in the southwestern portion of the state. Silver Lake is located 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Castle Rock along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The area considered Silverlake is about 6 miles (10 km) east of Interstate 5 (I-5) and is approximately 50 miles (80 km) from Portland, Oregon, to the south and Seattle about 110 miles (180 km) to the north. The closest cities to the subject property are Castle Rock, six miles (10 km) to the west, and Toutle, four miles (6 km) east.

Toutle, Washington Unincorporated community in Washington, United States

Toutle is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Toutle is located 10 miles (16 km) east of Castle Rock along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The Toutle community, similar to Toutle River, takes its name from the Hullooetell, a band of the Skillot - a Chinookan tribe. The Toutle community is part of the Toutle Lake School District, a K-12 school district of about 720 students that serves the communities of Toutle and Silver Lake, Washington. Toutle is near Mount St. Helens and the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, which lies at the end of the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980 was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States.

The Green River is the largest tributary of the North Fork Toutle River in the U.S. state of Washington. Situated near Mount Saint Helens in the Cascade Range in the southern part of the state, it flows generally west through wild forested valleys for 37.4 miles (60.2 km). The river drains more than 130 square miles (340 km2) in parts of three Washington counties: Skamania, Lewis, and Cowlitz.

Saint Helens, Washington Unincorporated community in Washington, United States

Saint Helens is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Saint Helens is located east of the city of Castle Rock and along the North Fork Toutle River. Saint Helens is reached by traveling 24 miles (39 km) east of Castle Rock along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The Saint Helens community takes its name from Mount St. Helens, which, in turn, was named by explorer George Vancouver after a friend of his, Baron St. Helens. The Saint Helens community is part of the Toutle Lake School District, a K-12 school district of about 600 students.

Kid Valley, Washington Unincorporated community in Washington, United States

Kid Valley is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Kid Valley is located east of the city of Castle Rock and along the North Fork Toutle River. Kid Valley is reached by traveling 17.8 miles (28.6 km) east of Castle Rock along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway. The Kid Valley community is part of the Toutle Lake School District, a K-12 school district of about 600 students.

Sightly, Washington Unincorporated community in Washington, United States

Sightly is an unincorporated community in Cowlitz County, Washington. Sightly is located east of the city of Castle Rock and east of Silver Lake. Sightly is reached by taking exit 49 off of Interstate 5, traveling 10.4 miles (16.7 km) east along Washington State Route 504, which is also known as the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, and then traveling 2.4 miles (3.9 km) along Sightly Road. The Sightly community was given its name due to its views of Mount St. Helens. The Sightly community is part of the Toutle Lake School District, a K-12 school district of about 600 students.

Castle Lake (Washington)

Castle Lake is a barrier lake formed by the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, when an avalanche dammed the South Fork of Castle Creek. The lake covers just slightly more than 1 square kilometer (0.39 sq mi). In 1981 a spillway was constructed to alleviate concerns about sudden erosion. The lake is difficult to access, but trails have been built to it and recreational fishing is allowed.

Coldwater Peak

Coldwater Peak is a 5,722 ft (1,740 m) mountain summit located in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, in Skamania County of southwest Washington state. It is situated in the Cascade Range, 2 mi (3.2 km) northwest of Spirit Lake, and 2 mi (3.2 km) east of Coldwater Lake. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Margaret, 2.4 mi (3.9 km) to the northeast, and Mount St. Helens rises 7 mi (11 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from Coldwater Peak drains into Coldwater Creek, a tributary of the North Fork Toutle River. The mountain takes its name from this creek, and was officially adopted in 1983 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. A trail provides access to the summit, the site of the former Coldwater Lookout from 1935 to 1968, and now is a site for research instruments.

Mount Margaret (Skamania County, Washington)

Mount Margaret is a 5,850-ft mountain summit located in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, in Skamania County of southwest Washington state. It is situated in the Cascade Range, 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Spirit Lake, and 2.4 mi (3.9 km) northeast of Coldwater Peak. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Whittier, 0.93 mi (1.50 km) to the north, and Mount St. Helens rises 8 mi (13 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from Mount Margaret drains into Coldwater Creek, a tributary of the North Fork Toutle River. A hiking trail provides access to this mountain. This peak was named some time before 1900 by an admiring prospector for Margaret "Maggie" Shultz Layton (1877-1965), a pioneering resident of Toledo, Washington.

The Dome (Washington)

The Dome is a 5,720+ ft mountain summit located in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, in Skamania County of southwest Washington state. It is situated in the Cascade Range, less than 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Spirit Lake, and 1.28 mi (2.06 km) northeast of Coldwater Peak. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Margaret, 1.16 mi (1.87 km) to the northeast, and Mount St. Helens rises 7.5 mi (12.1 km) to the south. Precipitation runoff from The Dome is drained by Coldwater Creek, a tributary of the North Fork Toutle River.

Mount Whittier (Washington)

Mount Whittier is a prominent 5,883-ft mountain summit located in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, in Skamania County of southwest Washington state. It is situated in the Cascade Range, 2 mi (3.2 km) north of Spirit Lake, and 1.7 mi (2.7 km) northeast of The Dome. Its closest neighbor is Mount Margaret, 0.93 mi (1.50 km) to the south, and the nearest higher neighbor is Mount St. Helens, 9 mi (14 km) to the south. Whittier is the second-highest peak in the Mount St. Helens area, after Mt. St. Helens. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant as the summit rises 2,000 feet above the head of Coldwater Creek valley in 0.6 mi (0.97 km). Precipitation runoff from Mount Whittier drains into tributaries of the North Fork Toutle River.

Minnie Peak

Minnie Peak is a 5,610-ft mountain summit located in Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, in Skamania County of southwest Washington state. It is situated in the Cascade Range, one mile northeast of Coldwater Lake, and 2.7 mi (4.3 km) west of Mount Whittier. Its nearest higher neighbor is Mount Venus, 1.67 mi (2.69 km) to the northeast, Coldwater Peak rises 2 mi (3.2 km) to the south, and Mount St. Helens is 9 mi (14 km) to the south. Although modest in elevation, relief is significant as the summit rises 3,000 feet above the Coldwater Creek valley in less than one mile. Precipitation runoff from Minnie Peak drains south into Coldwater Creek, or north into Miners Creek, both of which are part of the North Fork Toutle River drainage basin. This peak's name is derived from the Minnie mining claim nearby along Miners Creek. The primary minerals extracted there were silver and copper.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Anderson, Roger Y.; Nuhfer, Edward; Dean, Walter E. (1985). "Sedimentation in a Blast-Zone Lake at Mount St. Helens, Washington – Implications for Varve Formation". USGS Staff – Published Research Paper 301. University of Nebraska Lincoln. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  2. 1 2 3 "Coldwater Lake". Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  3. 1 2 3 Evans, Stephen G.; Reginald L. Hermanns; Alexander Strom; Gabriele Scarascia-Mugnozza, eds. (2011). Natural and Artificial Rockslide Dams. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 85–86. ISBN   3-64204-763-7.
  4. ↑ USGS Topo Maps for United States (Map). Cartography by U.S. Geological Survey. ACME Mapper. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  5. 1 2 Spirit Lake West Quadrangle, Washington: 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic) (PDF) (Map). Cartography by U.S. Geological Survey; U.S. Forest Service. U.S. Forest Service. 1998. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  6. 1 2 Elk Rock Quadrangle, Washington: 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic) (PDF) (Map). Cartography by U.S. Geological Survey; U.S. Forest Service. U.S. Forest Service. 1998. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  7. ↑ "Volcano landslides can dam tributary valleys". USGS Volcano Hazards Program. U.S. Geological Survey. 1999-12-16. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  8. 1 2 3 "Lakes and Drainages Around Mount St. Helens". USGS Volcano Hazards Program. U.S. Geological Survey. 2013-02-07. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  9. ↑ http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mountsthelens/recarea/?recid=40398
  10. ↑ "Science and Learning Center at Coldwater". Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. U.S. Forest Service. 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  11. ↑ "Birth of a Lake Trail #246". Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. U.S. Forest Service. 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  12. ↑ Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (PDF) (Map). Cartography by U.S. Geological Survey; U.S. Forest Service. May 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  13. ↑ "Mount Margaret Backcountry". Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. U.S. Forest Service. 2016-02-29. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
  14. ↑ Thomas, Al (2015-06-04). "Trout battle: Anglers compete on Coldwater Lake". The Columbian. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.