Flagstaff Lake (Oregon) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flagstaff Lake |
|
|---|---|
 Flagstaff Lake
Location in Oregon
Flagstaff Lake
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Lake County, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°34′57″N 119°48′01″W / 42.58250°N 119.80028°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Managing agency | Bureau of Land Management |
| Surface area | 3,634.7 acres (1,470.9 ha) |
| Shore length1 | 13.3 miles (21 km) |
| Surface elevation | 4,465 feet (1,361 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Flagstaff Lake is a cool lake found in Lake County, Oregon in the United States. It's part of a special group of lakes called the Warner Lakes. These lakes are in a dry, high-desert area known as the Warner Valley.
Flagstaff Lake sits between two other lakes: Upper Campbell Lake to its north and Swamp Lake to its south. It's about 40 miles (64 km) northeast of a town called Lakeview, Oregon. This lake covers a large area, about 3,635 acres (1,471 ha), and has a shoreline that stretches for about 13 miles (21 km).
About Flagstaff Lake
Flagstaff Lake is one of the unique Warner Lakes. These lakes are known for being alkaline, which means their water has a higher pH level, making it a bit like baking soda. They are also found in a high-desert environment. This means the area is dry and often gets very little rain.
The Warner Lakes System
The Warner Lakes are all connected to each other. However, they don't always look the same. The amount of water in them changes a lot depending on the weather. If there's a lot of rain, the lakes will be full. But during dry periods, they can shrink or even completely dry up! For example, from 1988 to 1992, there was a big drought, and all the Warner Lakes became completely dry.
Life in the Lake
Even though the lakes can dry up, some fish manage to survive. During the drought from 1988 to 1992, some fish found a way to live by moving into a 20-mile (32 km) long, muddy channel called a slough. This slough stays wet even when the lakes are dry, acting like a safe hiding place for the fish.
Over time, different kinds of fish have lived in Flagstaff Lake and the other Warner Lakes. These include:
These fish are an important part of the lake's ecosystem, adapting to the changing water levels of this unique desert environment.
