Lake Kampeska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Kampeska |
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Sailboat on Lake Kampeska taken from the shore at Memorial Park on 1 September 2013
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 Lake Kampeska
Location in South Dakota
Lake Kampeska
Location in the United States
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2002 USGS Data
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| Location | Codington / South Dakota, United States (Lake Township) |
| Coordinates | 44°55′53.51″N 97°12′27.65″W / 44.9315306°N 97.2076806°W |
| Type | Glacial lake |
| Primary inflows | Big Sioux River |
| Primary outflows | Big Sioux River |
| Catchment area | 20,433 acres (83 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 4.77 mi (8 km) |
| Max. width | 2.3 mi (4 km) |
| Surface area | 5,250 acres (21 km2) |
| Average depth | 7 ft (2 m) |
| Max. depth | 16 ft (5 m) |
| Water volume | 51,000 acre⋅ft (62,908 ML) |
| Shore length1 | 13.5 mi (20 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,715.2 ft (523 m) |
| Frozen | Winter months |
| Settlements | Kampeska City (formerly) Watertown, South Dakota |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Kampeska is a large glacial lake in South Dakota, United States. It covers about 5,250 acres (21.2 square kilometers). This lake is found west of Watertown, South Dakota, entirely within Codington County.
Lake Kampeska has a natural shape. It is the most developed lake in South Dakota, with many homes along its 13.5 miles (21.7 kilometers) of shoreline. The lake connects to the Big Sioux River through a channel on its northeast side. It is the third largest natural lake in South Dakota.
Many famous wildlife and nature artists have featured Lake Kampeska in their art. These artists include Terry Redlin, John Greene, John Wilson, and Joshua Spies. Terry Redlin's artworks often show Lake Kampeska. You can see them at the Redlin Art Center in nearby Watertown.
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Lake Kampeska: A Look at Its Past
The name "Kampeska" comes from the Dakota language. It means "Lake of the Shining Shells."
In 1838, famous explorer John C. Fremont and scientist Joseph Nicollet visited this area of Dakota Territory. They wrote notes describing it as the "lake country of the coteau prairie." However, their map did not include Lake Kampeska.
Settlements around Lake Kampeska started even before Watertown was founded. They also began before South Dakota became a state. The first town here was called Kampeska City. The borders of Codington County were drawn so that Lake Kampeska would be right in the middle. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad began operating near the lake in 1873.
Kampeska City was once the county seat for Lake Kampeska County. But in 1878, people voted to move the county seat to Watertown. This happened after the railroad started running through Watertown. At that time, Watertown was not even a town yet.
Later, in the 1870s, officials planned for the Capitol Building to be on the northern shore of Lake Kampeska. But when Benjamin Harrison signed South Dakota into statehood, the capitol was moved to the center of the state.
The name Kampeska is not related to the Kemp family, who founded Watertown.
Fun Things to Do at Lake Kampeska
Lake Kampeska is a very popular place for outdoor activities. People enjoy fishing, sailing, biking, swimming, and waterskiing. It's also a great spot for camping and picnics.
You can access Lake Kampeska from many places. There are public access points on the north, east, south, and west sides. The lake has one state park called Sandy Shores. It also has one county park, Memorial Park. Plus, there are two city parks: Jackson Park and Stokes-Thomas City Park.
Around the lake, you'll find 15 miles (24 kilometers) of bike trails. Two golf courses are also next to the lake: Prairie Winds Golf Course and Cattail Crossing Golf Course.
Fishing and Fish Species
Lake Kampeska is known for its Walleye and Smallmouth Bass fishing. Many types of fish live in the lake. These include black bullhead, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, and carp. You can also find channel catfish, smallmouth bass, white bass, and northern pike. Other fish include sunfish, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, and yellow perch.
Boating on Lake Kampeska
You can launch boats of all sizes and power levels on Lake Kampeska. There is a special "no-wake zone" in Hidden Valley on the east side. This means boats must go slowly there. While some people enjoy sailing, most boats on the lake are motorboats.
The lake is also home to the Kampeska Yacht Club. This club hosts an annual sailing competition called the Kampeska Cup Regatta.
Protecting Lake Kampeska's Environment
Lake Kampeska once had problems with pollution from fertilizer and surface runoff. This was especially true until the 1990s. While pollution is still a concern, conditions have gotten better. The water quality is now watched very closely.
A special structure called a weir was built on the lake's inlet-outlet channel. This weir helps slow down how much sediment enters the lake. When the Big Sioux River is high, water flows into Lake Kampeska. When the lake's water level is higher than the river and above the weir, water flows out of the lake.
The lake has also experienced serious flooding in recent years. This happened because of fast snow melts. In 1997, the flooding of Lake Kampeska was so bad that then-U.S. Vice President Al Gore visited the area.
