Castle Lake (Washington)

Castle Lake is a barrier lake formed by the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, when an avalanche dammed the South Fork of Castle Creek. The lake covers just slightly more than 1 square kilometer (0.39 sq mi). In 1981 a spillway was constructed to alleviate concerns about sudden erosion. The lake is difficult to access, but trails have been built to it and recreational fishing is allowed.

Castle Lake
Castle Lake viewed from the air, February 2016
Castle Lake is located in Washington (state)
Castle Lake
Castle Lake
LocationCowlitz County, Washington, US
Coordinates46°15′01″N 122°16′30″W[1]
Typebarrier lake
Primary inflowsSouth Fork Castle Creek
Primary outflowsSouth Fork Castle Creek
Catchment area8 square kilometres (3.1 sq mi)
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area257.7 acres (1.043 km2)
Average depth18.9 metres (62 ft)
Max. depth29.78 metres (97.7 ft)
Water volume21,000,000 cubic metres (740,000,000 cu ft)
Surface elevation2,595 ft (791 m)[1]
References[1][2][3]

Description

Castle Lake is a sub-alpine lake covering an area of just over 1 square kilometer (0.39 sq mi), located 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) northwest of Mount St. Helens.[3] Castle Lake's outflow runs towards Coldwater Lake, another lake newly formed by the eruption.[4] It is surrounded by precipitous ridges consisting of andesitic and dacitic volcanic bedrock.[3]

History

When Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, debris from an avalanche measuring 2.5 cubic kilometers blocked South Fork Castle Creek, creating a lake as runoff was impeded by the resulting debris wall which was 20 meters (66 ft) in height.[3][5] The blockage of Castle Creek measures 610 meters (2,000 ft) long with a mean width of 430 meters (1,410 ft).[3]

The lake filled rapidly during the winter of 1980–1981, and was expected to overflow the blockage in the fall of 1982.[3] However, a subsequent study predicted an earlier overflow, so in October 1981 a spillway 270 meters (890 ft) long and 30 meters (98 ft) wide was constructed to prevent the lake from flowing over the blockage, while at the same time the lake was cleared of the numerous downed trees that were blown into the lake by the eruption explosion.[3][5] In 1991, rainbow trout appeared in the lake, apparently resulting from the migration of stock introduced to Coldwater Lake a few years earlier.[2][4] The trout of Castle Lake are a self-perpetuating population, successfully spawning in the streams that feed Castle Lake.[4]

Recreation

Construction started in 1989 on Gifford Pinchot National Forest trail number 221, called the Castle Lake Trail.[6][7] The trail-head splits from Castle Ridge Trail #216 and runs for 3.9 miles (6.3 km) to Castle Lake.[6][7] The hiking distance from Toutle, Washington is 18.6 miles (29.9 km).[8] Trout fishing is seasonally accessible and allowed.[2]

Ecological issues

There has been significant concern that despite the spillway construction, the debris blockage that created Castle Lake could erode suddenly, and create a flood posing significant risks to the communities of Castle Rock, Kelso, Longview, and Toutle.[9] In a study conducted by United States Army Corps of Engineers given to the United States Forest Service, the probability of such a breach was considered very low.[9] However, the conditions which created the dam are unprecedented, and therefore little to no historical data exists to support any conclusion regarding stability.[9] The blockage appears to be stable regarding overtopping erosion, but the susceptibility to earthquake or hydrologic events remains undetermined.[3]

References

  1. "Castle Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. July 12, 1979. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  2. "Castle Lake". Fish Washington. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  3. Mosbrucker, Adam R.; Spicer, Kurt R. (2017). "Bathymetric Map and Area/Capacity Table for Castle Lake, Washington" (PDF). United States Geological Survey.
  4. "Mount St. Helens (FAQ 10) How were fish affected by the eruption?". United States Forest Service. May 14, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  5. "Lakes and Drainages Around Mount St. Helens". U.S. Geological Survey. February 7, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  6. "Mount St. Helens trail program ambitious". The World. Coos Bay, Oregon. June 8, 1990 via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  7. "Mount Saint Helens Trails". Trailkeepers of Oregon. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  8. "Castle Lake". AllTrails. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  9. Jackson, Stephen P. (May 15, 1988). "Volcano Dumps Dam Mess on County". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
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