Lake Mayfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Mayfield |
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 Lake Mayfield
Location in Washington (state)
Lake Mayfield
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lewis County, Washington, United States |
| Coordinates | 46°30′14″N 122°35′19″W / 46.50389°N 122.58861°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Cowlitz River, Tilton River |
| Primary outflows | Cowlitz River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 427 ft (130 m) |
| Islands | 1, Harold Freece Island |
Lake Mayfield is a large, human-made lake, also known as a reservoir. It is located in Lewis County, near the town of Mossyrock, Washington. This lake was created when the Mayfield Dam was built on the Cowlitz River. The Cowlitz River is an important river that flows into the larger Columbia River.
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Mayfield Dam: Generating Power
The Mayfield Dam was finished in 1963. It's a strong dam made of concrete, standing about 250 feet (76 meters) tall. This dam is very important for making electricity. It can produce 162 megawatts of power. This power is called hydroelectric power, which means electricity made from moving water.
The dam helps supply a lot of electricity to Tacoma Power, a company that provides power to homes and businesses. Only the nearby Mossyrock Dam creates more power for them.
Lake Mayfield's Waters
Lake Mayfield has different parts with different water temperatures. The part of the lake connected to the Cowlitz River is usually colder. This is because it gets water from Riffe Lake, which is created by the Mossyrock Dam. Water from Riffe Lake flows through big generators at the Mossyrock Powerhouse, making it cooler.
However, the part of the lake fed by the Tilton River is much warmer and not as deep. This is partly due to natural events like past landslides in the area.
Exploring Lake Mayfield
There's a cool place called Ike Kinswa State Park located right on a piece of land that sticks out into the lake. This land is surrounded by both the Cowlitz River arm and the Tilton River arm of the lake. Lake Mayfield also has a small island with a lighthouse on it, which is a unique feature.
For many years, especially in the 1980s and 1990s, Lake Mayfield was a popular spot for water sports. Many water ski and wakeboard competitions were held on the Winston Creek arm of the lake. The Lake Mayfield Resort is also located there. Near the Winston Creek Falls, you can find the Mayfield Lake Youth camp, a great place for young people to enjoy the outdoors.
Amazing Fish: Tiger Muskies
Lake Mayfield is home to a special type of fish called tiger muskies. These fish are a mix of two different types of fish: the muskellunge and the northern pike. Tiger muskies were put into Lake Mayfield in 1993.
They were introduced to help control the population of another fish called the northern pikeminnow. By eating some of the northern pikeminnow, the tiger muskies help keep the lake's fish community balanced.
