Swan Lake (Alaska) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swan Lake |
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Swan Lake in 2011
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 Swan Lake
Location in Alaska
Swan Lake
Location in North America
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| Location | Baranof Island, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 57°03′20″N 135°20′12″W / 57.05556°N 135.33667°W |
| Type | Artificial |
| Primary inflows | Wrinkleneck Creek, Arrowhead Creek |
| Primary outflows | Kettleson Memorial Library culvert |
| Catchment area | 5 sq mi (13 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | .5 mi (0.80 km) |
| Max. width | .1 mi (0.16 km) |
| Surface area | 22 acres (89,000 m2) |
| Average depth | 4.5 ft (1.4 m) |
| Max. depth | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Shore length1 | 6,600 ft (2,000 m) |
| Settlements | Sitka, Alaska |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Swan Lake, known as X̱'wáat' Héen Áakʼu in the Tlingit language, is a small lake located right in the center of Sitka, Alaska. It is not a natural lake. Instead, people created it a long time ago.
History of Swan Lake
Swan Lake was built during the time when Russians lived in and controlled Alaska. They created the lake to make money during the cold winter months.
Why the Lake Was Built
The main reason for building Swan Lake was to collect and sell ice. During winter, the lake would freeze over. Workers could then cut large blocks of ice from the lake. This ice was then sent by ship to warmer towns in the Pacific Northwest. People in those towns used the ice to keep food cold before refrigerators were common.
About the Lake
Swan Lake is a small body of water. It is about half a mile long and one-tenth of a mile wide. The lake covers an area of about 22 acres. It is not very deep, with an average depth of about 4.5 feet. The deepest parts of the lake are around 10 feet deep.
Water Sources
Water flows into Swan Lake from two creeks: Wrinkleneck Creek and Arrowhead Creek. The water then flows out of the lake through a pipe near the Kettleson Memorial Library.
