Suttle Lake

Suttle Lake
View of Suttle Lake from Link Creek Campground
Geographical location	Jefferson County in Oregon (USA)
Tributaries	Link Creek
Drain	Lake Creek → Metolius River
Data
Coordinates	44 ° 25 '18 "  N , 121 ° 44' 27"  W Coordinates: 44 ° 25 '18 "  N , 121 ° 44' 27"  W
Altitude above sea level	1049  m
surface	1.02 km²
length	2.25 km
width	650 m
volume	13,820,000 m³
scope	5.8 km
Maximum depth	23 m
Middle deep	13.5 m
Catchment area	55 km²

The Suttle Lake is a natural lake near the main ridge of the Cascade Range in western Oregon in the United States . The lake covers an area of ​​around one square kilometer. It got its name in honor of John Settle. It lies within the Deschutes National Forest . The Suttle Lake area is one of the busiest recreational areas in this part of the state. There are three large campsites on the shore of the lake and two other areas for day-trippers extend along its southern shore. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regularly populates the lake with rainbow trout .

location

Suttle Lake is located in the Cascade Range in western Jefferson County at an altitude of 1,049  m . The lake is in the Deschutes National Forest, 13 miles west of Sisters and 145 miles east of Salem in the Willamette Valley. US Highway 20 passes the lake north as the route climbs towards Santiam Pass , which is 5 miles west of the lake.

Suttle Lake is a result of glaciation during the Pleistocene , when the mountains of the Cascade Range were covered with ice. A glacier carved out a deep valley and left a lateral moraine that, over time, prevented water from flowing away and thus created the lake. At present, Suttle Lake lies in a long, narrow valley with relatively steep slopes to the north and south.

history

The Indians lived about 10,000 years before the arrival of the first European pioneers who discovered the lake and recorded its location. For centuries the Indians used the paths over the Santiam Pass to get from the Willamette Valley to central Oregon. At Suttle Lake, just east of the pass, they found a place to store, fish, and collect fruit.

Suttle Lake was named in honor of John Settle, an early settler in the Lebanon area of the Willamette Valley. Settle was one of the creators and major investors in the Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountain Military Wagon Road , which was built in the mid-1860s. He supervised part of the road construction and in 1866, while hunting, found the lake that today bears his name. Although it was named after Settle, its name was misspelled as "Suttle" when the name was officially registered.

Suttle Lake became part of the Cascade Range Forest Reserve in 1898 . The lake was part of the Cascade Reserve and later the Cascade National Forest until 1908 , when the area was incorporated into the newly formed Deschutes National Forest.

In the 1920s, the United States Forest Service allowed partial development of the lakeshore and approved use for a church summer camp, a log cabin, and some small cabins. The Forest Service also set up three public campsites on the lake shore. Today Suttle Lake and the forest surrounding it belong to the Sisters Ranger District, an administrative sub-unit of the Deschutes National Forest. Fishing on the lake is controlled by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Catchment area

Suttle Lake is on the eastern flank of the Cascade Range in central Oregon. about eight kilometers east of the Santiam Pass. Most of the lake water is exposed groundwater. Its only year-round water-bearing tributary is Link Creek , which flows into the western end of the lake and feeds it with water from Blue Lake . The lake's only outflow is Lake Creek , which begins at the eastern end of the lake and finally flows into the Metolius River at Camp Sherman .

The catchment area of the lake covers an area of ​​55 square kilometers. It is covered by a mixed coniferous forest, and an average of between 1370 and 2030 mm of precipitation falls here per year. The most common tree species in its catchment area include Ponderosa pine , Lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta subsp. Latifolia ) and Banks pine , as well as Douglas fir and other types of fir . As a result, the catchment area of ​​the lake is covered by a blanket of dense forest, but the spread of the pest Choristoneura freemani , a species of butterfly called Western Spruce Budworm , led to epidemic proportions in 1993 and large areas in the area were deforested. A forest fire in 2003 destroyed part of the forest by the lake.

Environmental conditions and ecology

Suttle Lake is thus a natural lake that covers an area of ​​102 hectares and a catchment area of ​​55 km². The lake is approximately 2.3 km long and 650 m wide. The average depth is around 13.5 m, the greatest water depth is around 23 m. The bottom of the lake consists mainly of sand, gravel and rock, but detritus and sediments are present in some of the deeper parts of the bottom. The shore areas consist mainly of gravel and rock.

The chemical composition of the water is normal, with the exception of a relatively high concentration of phosphorus , which promotes the growth of phytoplankton . On the periphery of the lake there are aquatic plants in a narrow zone to a depth of about six meters, but most of the lake is too deep for aquatic plants to grow.

A number of studies have looked at the environment and the water quality of the lake. It was determined that the transparency of the water in 1940 resulted in a depth of 10.7 m determined with the Secchi disk , and at the beginning of the 1970s this fluctuated between 4.3 and 4.9 m. Another Secchi measurement in 1982 showed that this value had increased to 6.7 m.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulates fishing in the Suttle Lake fishery. The lake's fish population includes rainbow trout , brown trout , sockeye salmon and the coregonine species Prosopium williamsoni (English Mountain whitefish ), which are largely self-sustaining. However, the authority regularly replenishes the rainbow trout population in order to maintain a balance between the various fish species. The brown trout in the lake weigh up to 4.5 kg, but the most common are between 1.4 and 2.3 kg. The average sockeye salmon reaches lengths between 23 and 25 cm. Prosopium williamsoni usually reaches lengths of 25 to 28 cm.

In addition to the fish, the lake offers habitats for a variety of bird species. Bird watchers can see waterfowl and typical wetland dwellers from the shore of the lake . Among the commonly present waterfowl are red-necked grebe , Pacific Loon , Common Loon , Hooded Merganser , Red-breasted Merganser , Lesser Scaup , surf scoter , American scoter , goldeneye and Barrow . Birds of prey that occur at the lake include red-tailed buzzard , osprey and bald eagle . Both ospreys and bald eagles usually stay on the lake well into the fall, feeding on brown trout and sockeye salmon that spawn in Lake Creek between Suttle and Blue Lake.

In the forest area surrounding the lake are Flicker , Robin , Hermit throttle , mountain chickadee , Junko , Tanager , Nuthatch , Kron warbler , Chipping Sparrow , Song Sparrow , Fichtenkreuzschnabel , Indian Goldhähnchen , Rubin Goldhähnchen , the Bergklarino ( Myadestes townsendi ) and the Steller frequently. The forest is also a habitat for the western forest tyrant , the spruce tyrant , the pinecatcher ( Empidonax hammondii ) and the bushland snapper ( Empidonax oberholseri ) as well as for singer vireo , Andean treecreeper , brown-headed cowbird and spruce siskin . Red-horned woodpecker and hairpecker have become rare in the forest since the lake was infested by the moth species Choristoneura fumiferana in the 1990s .

Suttle Lake and Lake Creek are home to a small population of New World otters . The mixed coniferous forest around the lake is the habitat of numerous mammals, both large and small. Large mammals include mule deer , Columbia black- tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus columbianus ), Roosevelt elk , American black bear , bobcat, and puma . Small mammals on Suttle Lake include great badgers , beavers , northern flying squirrels , shrews, and voles .

Human use

The Blue Bay campsite is located above Suttle Lake

Campers on the south bank of the lake

The Forest Service began actively influencing the use of the lake in the 1920s when the first permits were issued. Over the years, the authority has built three campsites and two facilities for day-trippers on the lakeshore. The campsites are located on the southern shore of the lake and have various facilities that make it easier for campers to stay.

A number of log cabins were also built on Suttle Lake, the first in the early 1920s. The second was built in 1931 and a third followed in 1941. These three log houses were destroyed by fire. The last log house built was repaired in 1974, but before the converted facility was reopened, the structure burned down completely. Today's Lodge at Suttle Lake is at the eastern end of the lake, just north of where Lake Creek leaves the lake. The facility covers an area of ​​930 square kilometers and the structure was designed in the National Park Service Rustic . There are ten guest rooms with open fireplaces and views of the forest or the lake. The resort has six cabins, one of which once housed the guardian of the Forest Service.

The first summer camp at Suttle Lake was established in 1921. Up to 300 people were accommodated here in the 1940s. To cater for the guests, the Pioneer Lodge was built in 1947, at the eastern end of the south of Lake Creek. The facility included a large dining room, common rooms and bedrooms. Twenty huts were also built. Wesley Meadow Lodge was established in 1981 and a residence for the director was added in 1991.

recreation

In summer, the lake is popular for activities like swimming, fishing, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and water skiing. There are also paths for hikers, cyclists and riders. In the winter months, the paths around the lake are used for cross-country skiing and snowshoe hikers. There is also a network for snowmobiles , and alpine skiing is possible about ten kilometers west of the lake.

supporting documents

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o} Johnson, Daniel M. (Ed.), Et al., Page no longer available , search in web archives: "Suttle Lake" (PDF; 649 kB), Atlas of Oregon Lakes , Oregon State University Press, Corvallis, Oregon, 1985, pp. 128-129.
2. ↑ ^{a b c d} Suttle Lake topographic map , United States Geological Survey, United States Department of Interior, Reston, Virginia; displayed via ACME mapper, www.acme.com , April 9, 2012.
3. ^ Suttle Lake ( English ) In: Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved June 21, 2012.
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h} "Suttle Lake" , Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Bend Oregon, April 8, 2012.
5. ↑ Michele Morseth: "Santiam Wagon Road" ( Memento of the original from March 19, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Explore the History of Sisters Country , Sisters Country Historical Society, Sisters, Oregon, 2006. 
6. ^ ^{A b c} "History," The Lodge at Suttle Lake, www.thelodgeatsuttlelake.com , Sisters, Oregon, April 7, 2012.
7. ^ Lewis A. and Lewis L. McArthur: "Suttle Lake," Oregon Geographic Names (7th Edition), Oregon Historical Society Press, Portland, Oregon, 2003. p. 926.
8. ↑ ^{a b c d e} "Suttle Lake" ( Memento of the original from August 20, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Explore Central Oregon, www.explorecentraloregon.com , Pacific Shore Enterprises, Beaverton, Oregon, April 7, 2012. 
9. ↑ Larwence Rakestraw and Mary Rakestraw: "Proclamations and Executive Order 1893-1933" ( Memento of the original from March 3, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , History of the Willamette National Forest , Pacific Northwest Region, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Portland, Oregon, 1991. 
10. ^ "About the Forest," Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Bend Oregon, April 12, 2012.
11. ↑ ^{a b} "Camp History" ( Memento of the original from May 3, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Suttle Lake Camp and Retreat Center, www.gbgm-umc.org , Sisters, Oregon, April 7, 2012. 
12. ↑ ^{a b} "Suttle Lake Shoreline Trail" ( Memento from December 20, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 1.3 MB), Sister Country Trail Guide , Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, Sisters, Oregon, April 7, 2012.
13. ↑ Maben, Scott, "Wildfire Keeps Grip on Highway 20 West of Sisters" ( Memento of the original from September 24, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , The Register Guard , Eugene, Oregon, August 26, 2003. 
14. ↑ ^{a b} "Metolius Preserve Bird Checklist" (PDF; 41 kB), www.deschuteslandtrust.org , Deschutes Land Trust, Bend, Oregon, April 13, 2012.
15. ↑ "Metolius Preserve" ( Memento of the original from May 1, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , www.deschuteslandtrust.org , Deschutes Land Trust, Bend, Oregon, April 13, 2012. 
16. ^ "Blue Bay Campground," Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Bend, Oregon, April 7, 2012.
17. ^ "South Shore Campground," Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Bend, Oregon, April 7, 2012.
18. ↑ "Link Creek Campground," Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, United States Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Bend, Oregon, April 7, 2012.
19. ↑ "The Lodge at Suttle Lake" ( Memento of the original from September 7, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Fodor's Travel Intelligence , Fodor's Travel Publications, New York, New York, April 7, 2012. 
20. ^ "Warm Weather Activities," The Lodge at Suttle Lake, www.thelodgeatsuttlelake.com , Sisters, Oregon, April 14, 2012.
21. ^ "Cold Weather Activities," The Lodge at Suttle Lake, www.thelodgeatsuttlelake.com, Sisters, Oregon, April 14, 2012.

Web links

Commons : Suttle Lake  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

• Deschutes-Ochocoo National Forests