Grays Lake (Idaho) facts for kids

Grays Lake is a special wetland (a marshy area) located in Idaho, United States. It's found in parts of Bonneville and Caribou counties. This area is so important for wildlife that the Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge was created here in 1965 to protect it. Around the lake, people mostly do ranching, raising cattle and sheep, and growing hay. The lake was named after John Gray, a Canadian trapper.

About Grays Lake

Grays Lake is nestled within the Caribou Range, which is part of the famous Rocky Mountains in southeast Idaho. It sits on the western edge of the huge Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The valley is about 30 miles north of Soda Springs, Idaho. It's also about 70 miles southwest of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

At the heart of the valley is a large, 22,000-acre (89 km²) shallow marsh. This marsh is mostly made of plants like bulrush and cattail. There are also many small ponds scattered around. This wetland is a very important home for many birds.

A Home for Wildlife

Grays Lake is a key breeding spot for sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans. It also hosts Franklin's gulls, white-faced ibis, and many types of ducks. Lots of shorebirds and grassland birds live here too. The area is also important for birds that are molting (losing feathers) and gathering in the fall.

The Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge covers most of this rich wetland. It was started in 1965 to protect and bring back habitats for waterfowl and other wildlife. In the 1970s and 1980s, the refuge helped try to create a second wild group of the endangered whooping cranes. Today, the refuge works to keep the natural ecosystem healthy for all its birds and animals.

Lake Details

• The marsh is about 6,386 ft (1,946 m) above sea level.
• Caribou Mountain is the highest point nearby. It reaches 9,803 ft (2,988 m).

Weather at Grays Lake

The weather at Grays Lake changes a lot throughout the year.

• On average, the area gets 17 inches (432 mm) of rain each year.
• It snows a lot, with about 115 inches (2,921 mm) of snow each year. Snow can pile up to 40-50 inches (102 – 127 cm) deep.
• In June and July, daytime high temperatures are usually between 68-75 °F (20-24 °C).
• Even in summer, it can get very cold. Freezing temperatures (below 30 °F or -1 °C) can happen in any month.
• The hottest temperature ever recorded was 103 °F (39 °C) in 1919.
• The coldest temperature ever recorded was a very chilly –62 °F (-52 °C) on January 1, 1978.

Plants and Habitats

Grays Lake is a special place where two different plant areas meet. It's a mix of plants found in the Great Basin (to the south) and the Rocky Mountains (to the north).

Types of Habitats

Within the refuge, you can find different types of habitats:

• 60% is a wetland marsh with plants sticking out of the water.
• 20% is a wet meadow, which is like a damp grassland.
• 12% is made up of brush, grasslands, and fields where grains are grown.
• 5% is shallow open water with plants growing underwater.
• 3% is covered by aspen forests and thickets of willow trees.

Plant Species

• There are over 170 different kinds of grasses, sedges, and forbs (flowering plants) in the wet meadows and marsh. This includes 15 different types of sedges.
• There are 3 types of plants that are not native and can spread easily.
• You can find 7 types of trees and 17 types of shrubs.
• No known rare or endangered plant species live here.

Animals of Grays Lake

Grays Lake is home to many different animals, especially birds!

• 128 different kinds of birds have been recorded breeding here.
• Over 40 bird species build their nests in the wet meadows and wetlands.
• There are 20 different kinds of mammals.
• You can find 4 types of amphibians (like frogs and salamanders).
• There are 6 types of reptiles (like snakes and lizards).
• Only one species, the trumpeter swan, is protected as "threatened or endangered."

Special Birds

• Grays Lake has the highest number of breeding sandhill cranes in North America. It's a very important place for the Rocky Mountain group of sandhill cranes.
• About 700-800 cranes are present in May.
• In September, 1,000 or more cranes gather in the basin before migrating.
• Large groups of Franklin's gulls and white-faced ibis also nest here.

Water in the Lake

Grays Lake is part of the Willow Watershed, which is a large area of 651.45 mi² (1,686.5 km²).

• In spring, the average water depth is about 11.5 feet (3.5 m).
• By late July through September, the water can be very shallow, less than 0.5 ft (15 cm) deep.
• The lake gets its water from melting snow and many natural springs.
• The main streams that flow into the lake are Willow, Eagle, and Gravel Creeks from the east and south, and Crane Creek from the west.
• The original way water flowed out of Grays Lake was through the Grays Lake Outlet, which goes north into the Snake River via Willow Creek.
• A man-made channel called Clark's Cut was finished in 1924. This channel drains water into the Blackfoot Reservoir.
• Since the early 1920s, the Bureau of Indian Affairs has controlled the water flow for farming projects.
• Many drainage canals and ditches were built in the 1920s, 1950s, and 1960s to manage the water.

Visiting Grays Lake

You can enjoy watching wildlife at Grays Lake, especially birds!

• Public roads around the lake offer great views of birds, especially in May and early June when the water is high.
• Good viewing spots include Beavertail Point (south), the refuge observation area (east), and the north perimeter road.
• Most of the marsh is closed to the public. This helps protect the breeding sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, and other waterbirds from being disturbed.
• There is a small Visitors Center at the refuge headquarters. No other public facilities are available.
• You can access the northern part of the basin during the fall waterfowl hunting season.

Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge

• The refuge was created in 1965 to help produce migratory waterfowl and other waterbirds.
• The total area within the refuge boundary is 32,825 acres (133 km²).
• The refuge has an active research program. This helps them manage the habitat and animal populations.
• They manage grasslands and wet meadows using methods like controlled fires, grazing, letting areas rest, cutting hay, and rotating how areas are used.