Whitefish Lake (Montana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whitefish Lake |
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View from Whitefish Lake State Park beach looking north to Whitefish Mountain Resort in autumn, courtesy Mike Koopal
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 Whitefish Lake
Location in Montana
Whitefish Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Flathead County, Montana |
| Coordinates | 48°27′04″N 114°22′53″W / 48.45111°N 114.38139°W |
| Native name | epɫx̣ʷy̓u Error {{native name checker}}: parameter value is malformed (help) |
| Primary outflows | Whitefish River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5.8 miles (9.3 km) |
| Max. width | 1.4 miles (2.3 km) |
| Surface area | 5.2 square miles (13 km2) |
| Average depth | 82 feet (25 m) |
| Max. depth | 233 feet (71 m) |
| Residence time | 2.6 years |
| Shore length1 | 15.9 miles (25.6 km) |
| Surface elevation | 2,999 feet (914 m) |
| Settlements | Whitefish, Montana |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Whitefish Lake is a natural freshwater lake in Flathead County, Montana, United States. It's known for being a very clear lake, which means it has low levels of nutrients. The Salish people call the lake epɫx̣ʷy̓u.
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How Whitefish Lake Got Its Name
Whitefish Lake was named in the 1850s. It got its name because of the many mountain whitefish that lived there and were caught by people. The Salish people also had a name for the lake, epɫx̣ʷy̓u, which means "has whitefish."
Where is Whitefish Lake Located?
Whitefish Lake is found in Flathead County, Montana, northwest of the city of Whitefish, Montana. It sits at an elevation of 2,999 feet (914 m) (about 914 meters) above sea level.
The lake is nestled between the Whitefish Range mountains and Lion Mountain. It covers an area of about 5.2 square miles (13 km2) (13.5 square kilometers). The lake is 5.8 miles (9.3 km) (9.3 kilometers) long and 1.4 miles (2.3 km) (2.3 kilometers) wide at its widest point. It's also quite deep, reaching 233 feet (71 m) (71 meters) at its deepest spot.
Several small streams flow into Whitefish Lake. These include Swift Creek, Lazy Creek, Hellroaring Creek, and Beaver Creek. The lake has about 15.9 miles (25.6 km) (25.6 kilometers) of shoreline, which is the edge where the water meets the land.
The water from Whitefish Lake flows out into the Whitefish River. This river then joins the Stillwater River, which eventually flows into the Flathead River. The Flathead River is about 1 mile (1.6 km) (1.6 kilometers) east of Kalispell.
Who Lives in Whitefish Lake?
Whitefish Lake is home to many different kinds of fish. Historically, the main fish that hunted others in the lake were Bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout. While these native fish still live in the lake, their numbers are much smaller now. One big problem for the native cutthroat trout is that they sometimes mix with non-native rainbow trout.
Other native fish species in the lake include the mountain whitefish, largescale sucker, longnose sucker, northern pikeminnow, peamouth chub, redside shiner, fathead minnow, and different types of sculpin.
Over the years, people have introduced new types of fish and even mysis shrimp into the lake. These new species have changed the fish community a lot. For example, northern pike were introduced, and they hunt the native trout. Kokanee salmon were also brought to the lake in 1945. They did well for about 35 years, but then they started to disappear because they had to compete for food with the new mysis shrimp and were hunted by lake trout.
The increase in mysis shrimp also led to more non-native lake trout. These lake trout compete with the native bull trout and hunt almost every other native fish in the lake. Other introduced fish like rainbow trout and brook trout also compete with the native bull and cutthroat trout. Now, non-native lake whitefish are also very common in the lake.
Fun Things to Do at Whitefish Lake
Whitefish Lake is a popular spot for outdoor activities. Many people enjoy fishing, kayaking, and boating on the lake.
Whitefish Lake State Park offers places for camping, boating, and swimming. There's also Whitefish City Beach, which is a sandy beach located where the lake's water flows out into the river, right in the city of Whitefish. It's a great place to swim and relax.
Images for kids
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View from Whitefish Lake State Park beach looking north to Whitefish Mountain Resort in autumn
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A train event near Whitefish Lake in 1989
