Washoe Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Washoe Lake |
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Washoe Lake, with Slide Mt. and the Carson Range in the background.
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 Washoe Lake
Location in Nevada
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| Location | Washoe County, Nevada |
| Coordinates | 39°16′06″N 119°48′03″W / 39.26833°N 119.80083°W |
| Primary inflows | several small streams |
| Primary outflows | Steamboat Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 5,029 feet (1,533 m) |
Washoe Lake (in the Washo language: c'óʔyaʔ dáʔaw) is a lake located near Carson City in the Washoe Valley of Washoe County, Nevada. It is a very shallow lake. Its size can change a lot from year to year. Washoe Lake State Park is found on the lake's southeastern shore.
Washoe Lake is a shallow lake between Reno and Carson City. It is just east of the much larger Lake Tahoe. The lake is only about 12 feet (3.7 m) deep at its deepest point. Because it is so shallow and windy, the water often looks cloudy. Long periods without rain have caused the lake to dry up completely. This happened most recently in 1992, 1994, and 2004.
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Fish and Wildlife at Washoe Lake
Washoe Lake is home to many kinds of fish that like warm water. These include Sacramento perch, white bass, channel catfish, brown bullhead, and carp. The Nevada Division of Wildlife has been adding fish to the lake since 2004. This was after the lake last dried up. There are two places to launch boats on the eastern side of the lake. These are inside Washoe Lake State Park.
The lake also provides a home for many different birds. Hundreds of bird species, both those that migrate and those that live there all year, can be found in Washoe Lake State Park. You might see Pelicans, night herons, and great blue herons on the lake's waters.
How Washoe Lake Gets Its Water
Washoe Lake gets its water from several small streams. These streams flow from the Carson Range to the west. Other streams, which only flow sometimes, come from the Virginia Range to the east.
At its northern end, Washoe Lake becomes narrower. It then connects to Little Washoe Lake. From the northernmost part of Little Washoe Lake, Steamboat Creek begins. This creek flows north to the Truckee River.
The streams that feed Washoe Lake from the Carson Range include Franktown Creek, Ophir Creek, Davis Creek, and Winters Creek. Steamboat Creek also gets water from Browns and Galena Creeks. These join in Pleasant Valley, Nevada. Then, Steamboat Creek continues north to meet the Truckee River near Reno, Nevada. A lot of the water from the Steamboat Creek and Washoe Lake area is used for watering crops.
The Washoe Zephyr Wind
The area around Washoe Lake often experiences a strong, gusty wind. This wind is called the Washoe Zephyr. It usually happens every day during the summer. This is common for places near the Sierra Nevada mountains.
The famous writer Mark Twain once wrote about this wind:
- "A Washoe wind is by no means a trifling matter. It blows flimsy houses down, lifts shingle roofs occasionally, rolls up tin ones like sheet music, now and then blows a stage-coach over and spills the passengers; and tradition says the reason there are so many bald people there is, that the wind blows the hair off their heads while they are looking skyward after their hats."
These strong winds are still present today. They can even overturn large trucks traveling along Interstate 580/U.S. Highway 395. This highway runs along the western shore of Washoe Lake.
Fun Activities at Washoe Lake
Washoe Lake is a popular spot for people who enjoy windsurfing and kiteboarding. If the water level is high enough, it's also a great place for small sailboats.
