Puckaway Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puckaway Lake |
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 Puckaway Lake
Location in Wisconsin
Puckaway Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Green Lake County and Marquette County, Wisconsin |
| Coordinates | 43°45′20″N 89°11′48″W / 43.755656°N 89.1967752°W |
| Native name | Native American word meaning "wild rice field" Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help) |
| Part of | Fox–Wisconsin Waterway |
| Primary inflows | Fox River |
| Primary outflows | Fox River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 27 mi (43 km) |
| Surface area | 5,013 acres (7.833 sq mi; 20.29 km2) |
| Average depth | 3 ft (0.91 m) |
| Max. depth | 5 ft (1.5 m) |
| Water volume | 15,327 acre⋅ft (18,906,000 m3) |
| Shore length1 | 27.6 mi (44.4 km) and 6.2 mi (10.0 km) for islands |
| Surface elevation | 764 feet (233 m) |
| Islands | Zacharias Island |
| Settlements | Marquette |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Puckaway Lake, also known as Lake Puckaway, is a cool lake in Wisconsin. It is located in both Green Lake County and Marquette County. The lake covers about 5,013 acres (20.29 km2) of water. It is quite shallow, with an average depth of 3 ft (0.91 m) and a maximum depth of 5 ft (1.5 m). Most of the lake's bottom is made of muck.
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Discovering Puckaway Lake
In 1673, a French explorer named Jacques Marquette traveled through this area. He was exploring the Fox–Wisconsin Waterway, which connects Green Bay to the Mississippi River. When he passed through Puckaway Lake, he noted how tricky it was to navigate. He said the river was full of "wild rice," which made it hard to find the right path. This is why the lake's name, "Puckaway," comes from a Native American word meaning "wild rice field."
How the Lake Changed Over Time
Puckaway Lake is a natural lake, but its water level was raised a long time ago. In 1897, the United States Army Corps of Engineers built a lock and dam on the Fox River. This dam is about eight miles downstream from the lake, near Princeton. The goal was to raise the water level so boats could use the river for trade.
However, by 1922, people realized that this plan wouldn't work well for commercial use. So, the lock was closed, but the dam is still there today.
Fun Things to Do at Puckaway Lake
Puckaway Lake is a great place for outdoor activities. There are seven public spots around the lake where you can launch a boat.
Fishing Adventures
Fishing is a very popular activity on Puckaway Lake. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has found six different types of fish living in the lake. These include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye, and Catfish. If you love fishing, you might be interested to know that a huge 38 lb (17 kg) northern pike was caught here in 1952. This was a state record at the time!
Protecting the Lake from Invasive Species
Since 1984, some unwanted plants and diseases have been found in Puckaway Lake. These are called invasive species because they are not native to the area and can harm the lake's ecosystem. Some examples found here include Brittle Waternymph and Eurasian Water-Milfoil.
To help stop these invaders from spreading, especially into the Great Lakes, several locks in the Fox River Waterway have been permanently closed. This helps protect the lake and other waterways.
