Sparks Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sparks Lake |
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Sparks Lake and South Sister
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 Sparks Lake
Location in Oregon
Sparks Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Deschutes County, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 44°00′56″N 121°44′43″W / 44.015670°N 121.745311°W |
| Type | Natural, oligotrophic, with dam |
| Primary inflows | Goose, Fall, and Soda creeks |
| Catchment area | 37 square miles (96 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 779 acres (315 ha) |
| Average depth | 1 foot (0.3 m) |
| Max. depth | 7 feet (2 m) |
| Water volume | 1,000 acre-feet (1,200,000 m3) |
| Shore length1 | 10 miles (16 km) |
| Surface elevation | 5,433 feet (1,656 m) |
| Settlements | Bend |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Sparks Lake is a natural body of water near the crest of the central Cascade Range in Deschutes County in the U.S. state of Oregon. The lake is about 26 miles (42 km) west-southwest of Bend along the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway in Deschutes National Forest. Named for a 19th-century rancher, "Lige" Sparks, the water body is a remnant of a bigger lake that has partly filled with sediment and vegetation.
Many of the region's mountain peaks, such as Mount Bachelor, Three Sisters, and Broken Top, are visible from the lake. Other lakes in the vicinity include Todd, Elk, Hosmer, Blow, and Doris.
Hydrology
Like many lakes in the region, Sparks Lake does not have any visible outflow. However, the surface level of the lake is below the regional water table; as such, the lake does not technically form an endorheic basin, and thus feeds springs in the surrounding area. The lake and its basin is generally believed to be part of the Deschutes River drainage area, part of the greater Columbia River basin.
Recreation
The United States Forest Service maintains a boat launch at Sparks Lake. The site has a parking area, a lake trail, and dispersed camping at locations accessible by boat. A more formal campground run by the Forest Service is nearby along Soda Creek.
Sparks Lake supports populations of brook trout and stocked cutthroat trout. Fly fishing is the only kind of angling allowed on the lake. Motorboats may be used for transportation, but fishing is allowed from them only when their motors are turned off.
