Blue Lake (Alaska) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue Lake |
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Blue Lake Dam spillway in Sitka Alaska
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 Blue Lake
Location in Alaska
Blue Lake
Location in North America
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| Location | Baranof Island, Sitka City and Borough, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 57°04′24″N 135°09′46″W / 57.07333°N 135.16278°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Blue Lake Valley Creek |
| Primary outflows | Sawmill Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 3 mi (4.83 km) |
| Surface area | 1,225 acres (5 km2) |
| Max. depth | 468 ft (143 m) |
| Surface elevation | 436 ft (133 m) |
Blue Lake (in the Tlingit language: Gajook Héen Yik.áayi) is a long reservoir in Southeast Alaska. It is about 3 miles (4.8 km) long and is located 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Sitka. You can find it on the west side of Baranof Island, which is part of the Alexander Archipelago.
What is Blue Lake?
Blue Lake is a special body of water known for its deep blue color. It gets its water from melting snow and small glaciers. These water sources are found in the Blue Lake valley, which is shaped like a "U" because of ancient glaciers.
Building the Dam
Blue Lake was first dammed in 1913 by a company called Sitka Wharf and Power. This dam helped control the water. Later, in 1942, the city of Sitka took over the dam's operations. There were some floods in 1943 and 1947 that caused damage to the dam.
The dam was rebuilt and made much bigger in 1958. This made the lake grow from 490 acres (2.0 km2) to 1,225 acres (5 km2) in size. The dam's height also increased a lot. Because of the dam, the lake's water level can change by up to 60 ft (18 m).
The Blue Lake Dam, along with the Green Lake Dam, helps Sitka get all its electricity. This power comes from hydroelectric energy, which means it uses the force of moving water.
Blue Lake Road
There is a road called Blue Lake Road that leads to the lake. People use this road to get to the lake from Sawmill Cove. It makes it easier for them to use kayaks and canoes. They can also reach mountains like Clarence Kramer Peak from here.
There is a campground along this road called Blue Lake Campground. The road itself can be quite tricky. It often winds along the edges of cliffs. In winter, there can be many avalanche chutes along the road. These can be dangerous or block the road completely.
Sharing the Water
At a place called the Sawmill Cove Industrial Park, there is a small company that bottles water from Blue Lake. This water is then sold. Other companies also have plans to export this water in the future.
In 2010, a company from Texas announced a big plan. They wanted to ship a huge amount of fresh water from Blue Lake every year. This water would go to the west coast of India. This would be the first time water is regularly shipped in large amounts by tanker. The water would then be sent to other places in India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. This project could bring a lot of money to the town of Sitka.
