Columbia Lake (Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Columbia Lake |
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 Columbia Lake
Location in Wisconsin
Columbia Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Columbia County, Wisconsin |
| Coordinates | 43°28′30″N 89°25′10″W / 43.4749837°N 89.4195635°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 378 acres (153 ha) |
| Max. depth | 8 feet (2.4 m) |
| Surface elevation | 791 feet (241 m) |
Columbia Lake is a lake located near the city of Portage in Columbia County, Wisconsin, United States. It's a special place known for its unusually warm water, even in winter!
Discover Columbia Lake
Columbia Lake gets its water from the Wisconsin River. It's not a very deep lake, reaching about 8 feet (2.4 m) at its deepest point. The lake covers an area of about 378 acres (153 ha), which is like 378 football fields!
A Warm Winter Lake
What makes Columbia Lake unique is that it receives warm water from a nearby power plant. This warm water flows into the lake through a special cooling pipe. Because of this, a part of the lake, especially to the east, stays warm even in the middle of winter.
The water temperature in this section can be around 62 °F (17 °C) (or 15 °C (59 °F)) during winter. When the weather is very cold, this warm water creates a thick fog that rises from the lake's surface. This warm temperature also helps to keep many types of lake weeds from growing too much.
Fishy Friends in the Lake
Columbia Lake is a popular spot for fishing! Many different kinds of fish are regularly added to the lake, which is called "stocking." This helps make sure there are plenty of fish for everyone. You might even find an uncommon type of fish called a hybrid bass swimming here.
Sometimes, unusual things happen in nature. Once, four fish called pacus were found in Columbia Lake. Pacus are a type of fish from South America that look a bit like piranhas, but they mostly eat plants. These pacus were not native to the lake and were removed to protect the local environment.
