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 lake in Oregon, USA. It is located high up in the Cascade Mountains, in Deschutes County.
You can find it about 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Bend. It is right along the beautiful Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway, inside the Deschutes National Forest. The lake is named after a rancher from the 1800s named "Lige" Sparks. This lake used to be much bigger! Over time, it has filled in with dirt and plants.
From Sparks Lake, you can see amazing mountain peaks. These include Mount Bachelor, the Three Sisters, and Broken Top. Other nearby lakes include Todd Lake, Elk Lake, Hosmer Lake, Blow Lake, and Doris Lake.
How Sparks Lake Works
Many lakes in this area do not have water flowing out of them that you can see. Sparks Lake is like this too. However, the water level of the lake is actually below the water table in the ground. This means the lake's water feeds springs in the surrounding area.
Scientists believe Sparks Lake and its area are part of the Deschutes River system. This river then flows into the larger Columbia River basin.
Fun Things to Do at Sparks Lake
The United States Forest Service helps people enjoy Sparks Lake. They keep a boat launch ready for visitors.
- Boating and Camping: The boat launch has a parking area. There is also a trail around the lake. You can find places to camp away from others, but you need a boat to reach them. A more official campground run by the Forest Service is close by, along Soda Creek.
- Fishing: Sparks Lake is a great place for fishing! You can find brook trout and cutthroat trout here. The cutthroat trout are added to the lake by people.
- Rules for Fishing: Only fly fishing is allowed on Sparks Lake. You can use motorboats to get around the lake. But if you want to fish from your boat, you must turn off the motor first.
