Flathead Lake
Lake in Montana, United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Flathead Lake (Salish: člq̓etkʷ, Kutenai: yawuʔnik̓ ʔa·kuq̓nuk)[3] is a large natural lake in northwest Montana, United States.
Quick Facts Location, Coordinates ...
Flathead Lake | |
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člq̓etkʷ (Kalispel-Pend d'Oreille) yawuʔnik̓ ʔa·kuq̓nuk (Kutenai) | |
Location | Lake / Flathead counties, Montana, US |
Coordinates | 47°54′6″N 114°6′15″W |
Type | Moraine-dammed lake |
Primary inflows | |
Primary outflows | Flathead River |
Catchment area | 8,587 sq mi (22,240 km2) |
Basin countries | United States |
Max. length | 27.3 mi (43.9 km)[1] |
Max. width | 15.5 mi (24.9 km)[1] |
Surface area | 197 sq mi (510 km2)[2] |
Average depth | 164.7 ft (50.2 m) |
Max. depth | 370.7 ft (113.0 m)[1] |
Water volume | 5.56 cu mi (23.2 km3)[1] |
Residence time | 3.4 years |
Shore length1 | 161.4 mi (259.7 km)[1] |
Surface elevation | 2,894 ft (882 m) |
Islands | Wild Horse Island; Cromwell, Bird, Bull, Little Bull, Melita, Shelter, Cedar, Mother-in-Law, Dream, Goose, Mary B, Rock Island; Douglas Islands |
Settlements | 7 miles (11 km) south of Kalispell, Montana; Polson, Montana |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
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The lake is a remnant of the ancient, massive glacial dammed lake, Lake Missoula of the era of the last interglacial.[4] Flathead Lake is a natural lake along the mainline of the Flathead River. It was dammed in 1930 by Kerr Dam at its outlet on Polson Bay, slightly raising the lake level; the dam generates electricity.[5] The hydroelectric has been owned and operated by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes since 2015. It is one of the cleanest lakes in the populated world for its size and type.[6]