Canyon Ferry Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canyon Ferry Lake |
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Canyon Ferry Lake
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Location | Lewis and Clark and Broadwater Counties in Montana, United States. Located near Helena, Montana. |
Coordinates | 46°28′53″N 111°32′47″W / 46.481312°N 111.546404°W |
Type | reservoir |
Primary inflows | Missouri River |
Primary outflows | Missouri River |
Catchment area | 15,904 sq mi (41,190 km2) |
Basin countries | United States |
Max. length | 30 miles (48 km) |
Max. width | 5 miles (8.0 km) |
Surface area | 33,500 acres (13,600 ha) |
Water volume | 2,051,000 acre⋅ft (2.530 km3) |
Shore length1 | 76 mi (122 km) |
Surface elevation | 3,797 ft (1,157 m) msl |
Islands | Cemetery Island |
Settlements | Canton and Townsend |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Canyon Ferry Lake is a reservoir on the Missouri River near Helena, Montana and Townsend, Montana. It is Montana's third largest body of water, covering 35,181 acres (142 km²) and 76 miles (122 km) of shore (1). It was formed by the building of Canyon Ferry Dam, which was completed in 1954 and has been used for electricity, irrigation, and flood controls since.
Recreation
The lake is a popular outdoor destination providing boating, fishing, wildlife habitat, and is nestled against the Big Belt Mountains of the Rocky Mountains. Canyon Ferry Lake has also become a leading ice boat venue for iceboat racing and iceboat world speed record attempts. The former town of Canton lies beneath the lake, having been submerged following construction of the dam.
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Aerial View of Canyon Ferry Lake and Canyon Ferry Dam.