Cleawox Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cleawox Lake |
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Panorama of the lake
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 Cleawox Lake
Location in Oregon
Cleawox Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Near Pacific Ocean coast in Lane County, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 43°55′52″N 124°06′51″W / 43.93111°N 124.11417°W |
| Lake type | Natural, permanent, oligotrophic |
| Primary inflows | Buck Creek |
| Primary outflows | none |
| Catchment area | 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 87 acres (35 ha) |
| Average depth | 17 feet (5.2 m) |
| Max. depth | 48 feet (15 m) |
| Water volume | 1,500 acre-feet (1,900,000 m3) |
| Residence time | 4 months |
| Shore length1 | 5.2 miles (8.4 km) |
| Surface elevation | 75 feet (23 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Cleawox Lake (say it: klē' ə woks) is a beautiful lake in Oregon, USA. It's special because it's held in place by huge sand dunes right along the Pacific Ocean coast. You can find the lake about 3 miles (5 km) south of the town of Florence, right off U.S. Route 101.
Part of the lake's edge is private land, but other parts are open for everyone to enjoy! These public areas include the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park. The name Cleawox comes from the Siuslaw language, which was spoken by Native Americans in this area.
How Cleawox Lake Was Formed
Cleawox Lake has a cool history that goes back to the last ice age. Imagine a small stream flowing towards the ocean. When the giant glaciers melted, the sea level rose a lot. This caused the lower parts of the stream to fill with water, creating the lake we see today.
Over time, sand from the slow-moving stream piled up. These piles of sand became the tall sand dunes that now act like a natural dam, holding the lake in place. These dunes are always moving, slowly creeping north at about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6.1 m) each year. They are even slowly moving closer to the lake!
Understanding the Lake's Water
Cleawox Lake gets its water from a small area around it, called a drainage basin. This basin is only about 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) big. Water flows into the lake from small streams and also seeps in from the ground. What's interesting is that scientists haven't found any surface rivers or streams flowing out of Cleawox Lake.
The soil around the lake is very sandy, so water drains through it easily. This area is mostly covered with pine trees and shrubs. Cleawox Lake is a bit saltier than most other lakes along the Oregon coast. However, its water is also very clear, which means you can see through it well!
Fun Things to Do at Cleawox Lake
Cleawox Lake is a popular spot for outdoor fun, especially at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park.
- Swimming: The lake is a great place to cool off with a swim.
- Boating: You can enjoy canoeing on the calm waters.
- Fishing: Anglers can try to catch warm-water fish, as well as rainbow and coastal cutthroat trout.
The state park has picnic tables with lovely views of the water, perfect for a family lunch. While you can't camp right next to the lake, there are many campsites available in other parts of the state park nearby.
Part of the lake's edge, about 2 miles (3 km), is next to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. About 1 mile (1.6 km) of the lake borders Honeyman State Park. The rest of the shoreline is private property, including vacation homes and a girl scout camp called Camp Cleawox.
