Lacamas Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lacamas Lake |
|
|---|---|
South side
|
|
 Lacamas Lake
Location in Washington (state)
|
|
| Location | Clark County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 45°37′N 122°26′W / 45.62°N 122.43°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Catchment area | 67 sq mi (170 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) |
| Max. width | Less than 0.25 mi (0.40 km) |
| Max. depth | 60 ft (18 m) |
| Surface elevation | 187 ft (57 m) |
| Settlements | Camas, Washington |
Lacamas Lake is a small lake located in Clark County, Washington. It's a favorite spot for people from nearby cities like Vancouver, Camas, and Washougal. They enjoy activities like fishing and water skiing here.
The lake is connected to Round Lake by a channel. This channel goes under the SR 500 bridge on the southeast side of Lacamas Lake. In the 1990s, many new buildings and homes were built around the lake.
Lacamas Lake is warmer than other lakes in the area. However, its temperature drops quickly as you go deeper. The lake is about 60-foot-deep (18 m). Sadly, not much can live below about 18 ft (5.5 m) deep. This is because of something called a "dead zone" (you can learn more about it below). The Georgia-Pacific Mill in Camas used to get water from the lake. But in 2018, Georgia-Pacific gave the two dams on Round Lake to the City of Camas.
Contents
History of Lacamas Lake
The Lacamas Lake Dam was built in 1883. It is located at the south end of Round Lake. When the dam was built, it made the water level of both Lacamas Lake and Round Lake rise. The water level went up by about 12 ft (3.7 m).
Water Quality in Lacamas Lake
The land around Lacamas Lake and Round Lake covers about 43,000 acres (170 km2). This area collects rain and snow. This water then forms the Lacamas Creek, which flows into both lakes. Most of this land is made up of large open fields and private farm or ranch areas.
When rain washes over these areas, it creates runoff. This runoff often contains high levels of fertilizers. These fertilizers then flow into the lakes. This extra amount of nutrients, along with poor water movement in the deeper parts of the lakes, has caused big problems with severe algae growth.
Because of these issues, only a few fish species can live in the lakes. These include brown trout, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, catfish, and sturgeon. The government has classified the lake as eutrophic. This means it has too many nutrients, which leads to too much plant growth and not enough oxygen for animals.
Scientists have thought about using a special aerator called a "Speece Cone" to help the lake. Some places around the world use natural methods to fix algae problems in eutrophic lakes. These methods include using special dyes, enzymes, and even barley hay.
What is the "Dead Zone" in Lacamas Lake?
One big reason why Lacamas Lake can't support many fish is pollution. The lake has too much phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia. Also, the deeper parts of the lake don't get enough fresh water or oxygen.
This causes a thick, muddy layer of decaying material to form at the bottom. This sludge has no oxygen, so organic materials can't break down properly. The phosphorus, nitrogen, and ammonia come from polluted streams. These streams flow into the lake after passing through farm fields, barnyards, and neighborhoods.
The lake, which is about 2.4-mile (3.9 km)-long, is often cloudy. The sun warms the top layer of water. This makes it good for warm-water fish like bass, bluegill, and perch. However, algae often covers the surface down to about 18 feet (5.5 m) deep. This thick layer stops oxygen from the air from reaching the deep, cold water at the bottom.
Because of this, the deeper parts of the lake are often lifeless. You can usually see less than 1-foot (0.30 m) into the water. It often looks very green and murky.
In the fall, aquatic plants like the invasive Elodea and algae die. They sink to the bottom of the lake. As they decay, they use up even more oxygen. This makes the colder, deeper parts of the lake barren and empty of life. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife tries to help by adding brown or rainbow trout to the lake. But sadly, not many of these fish survive for long.
Fun Activities at Lacamas Lake
Running, Hiking, and Biking
Lacamas Lake has a great trail called the Lacamas Heritage Trail. It runs along the entire southern edge of the lake. The trail is about 3.5-mile (5.6 km) long and is well-kept.
The trail is made of hard-packed dirt and gravel. It's usually good for strollers. Many people enjoy hiking, running, and biking on this trail. It's wide enough for people and bikes to go in both directions, one person at a time. The trail is mostly flat, with gentle slopes. There are markers every quarter-mile showing distances to both ends of the trail.
The west end of the trail has a small parking lot. You'll find restrooms, bags for dog waste, and a water fountain there. This parking lot can get full on nice days and weekends. There isn't much extra parking nearby. The east end of the trail usually has more parking.
The east end of the trail starts near the southeast boat ramp. This area has a large parking lot, restrooms, a water fountain, a park, and a playground for kids. You can find this parking lot on Lake Road, just west of SR500. There's also an extra parking lot about 100 yards west, near the trailer park. Dog waste bags are available on the trail. Signs show the rules for dog leashes.
Swimming
Swimming is very popular in the summer. This is because the lake water gets quite warm. The City of Camas puts up public notices if there are outbreaks of blue-green algae. This is important for everyone's safety.
Boating
Lacamas Lake has two public boat ramps. One is on the north side, and the other is on the southeast side. The southeast boat ramp is inside Camas Heritage Park. It's a nicer ramp with more facilities.
Because the lake is small, personal watercraft like Jetskis and Waverunners are not as common here. You might see more of them on bigger local lakes and rivers. Lacamas Lake has a speed limit of 40 mph (64 km/h) for boats. There are also several areas where boats must go slowly and not create a wake (a wave behind the boat).
