Lake Winnebago(Menominee:Wenepekōw Nepēhsæh,[1]Ojibwe:Wiinibiigoo-zaaga'igan,Oneida:kanyataláheleˀ[2]) is a shallowfreshwaterlakein thenorth centralUnited States,located in east centralWisconsin.At 137,700 acres, it is the largest lake entirely within the state,[3]covering an area of about 30 miles by 10 miles with 88 miles of shoreline, an average depth of 15.5 feet, and a maximum depth of 21 feet.[4]It has many shallow reefs along the west shore and a drop-off type shoreline on the east.[4]There are several islands along the west shore.
| Lake Winnebago | |
|---|---|
 From space on March 28, 2022 | |
  Lake Winnebago  Lake Winnebago | |
| Location | Winnebago,Calumet,andFond du Laccounties, Wisconsin |
| Coordinates | 44°00′45″N88°25′03″W/ 44.01250°N 88.41750°W |
| Primary inflows | Wolf River,Fox River |
| Primary outflows | Fox River |
| Basincountries | United States |
| Max. length | 30 miles (50 km) |
| Max. width | 10 miles (15 km) |
| Surface area | 131,939 acres (206.155 sq mi; 533.94 km2) |
| Average depth | 15.5 ft (4.7 m) |
| Max. depth | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Surface elevation | about 746 feet (227 m) abovesea level |
| Settlements | Oshkosh,Fond du Lac,NeenahandMenasha |
The lake has two primary tributaries, theWolfandFox Rivers,which combine atLake Butte des Morts.The Fox River flows east throughOshkoshand into Lake Winnebago at its west central shore, then flows out at the northwest shore, aroundDoty IslandatNeenah-MenashatoLittle Lake Butte des Morts.The river then flows northeast and empties intoGreen Bayand serves as part of theFox-Wisconsin Waterway.Lake Winnebago is part of a larger system of lakes in Wisconsin known as theWinnebago Pool.
Cities on its shores include the aforementioned Oshkosh, Neenah, and Menasha, as well asFond du Lacat the south shore. Municipal drinking water systems serving over 200,000 people draw directly from the lake, including systems serving the cities of Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha, andAppleton.
History
editThe lake is a remnant ofGlacial Lake Oshkoshapproximately 12,000 years ago.[5]Ice blocked water from enteringLake MichiganatGreen Bay,and the glacial lake ponded against ice since it had no outlet.
TheNiagara Escarpmentis a few miles east of Lake Winnebago. The softerOrdovicianrocks that underlie the lake have eroded away, and the strongerSilurianrocks stand as a ridge that formed the lake basin.[6]
In 1634, the French encountered the Ho-Chunk on the shores of Green Bay, inhabiting the area stretching to Lake Winnebago. Although "Ho-Chunk"is the people's own name for themselves, their Algonquian neighbors called them" Winnebago ", which means" [people of the] stinking water. "This term was used by the Algonquians because Lake Winnebago had a strong fish odor in the summer.[7]
The steamer B. F. Carter made a trip from the east shore to the west shore at Oshkosh every two weeks in the 1880s during the summer season.[8]
Lake Winnebago is known for having occasionalice shoveson very windy days in March as the winter ice breaks up.[9]Residents have described that it "sounds like a freight train."[10]Buildings directly on the shoreline have been wrecked by the shoves, which are up to 25 feet high.[9][10]
Locks and dams
editLake Winnebago is not man-made, but its level was raised about three feet (0.9 m) by twodamson either side ofDoty Island,erected in 1850 and 1930. The lake level is today regulated by theU.S. Army Corps of Engineersto meet demands for flood control, to reduce ice damage to private property, to release water for hydropower and pollution dilution downstream, and to extend the high water season for boating.
A system of seventeen locks connects Lake Winnebago toLake Michiganat Green Bay, anelevationdrop of about 150 feet (45 m). This lock system is located along the lower Fox River and starts at the northwest corner of Lake Winnebago in the city of Menasha and ends at the mouth of Green Bay. One of the locks, the Rapid Croche Lock, is permanently sealed as a barrier to prevent the movement ofsea lampreyupstream, and only three of the remaining locks were being maintained.[11]Lock reconstruction is underway and is being supervised by the Fox River Navigation Authority.
Recreation
editMany annual events take place on theWinnebago Pool,including shoreline concerts, fishing tournaments, power boat events, pleasure boating rallies, windsurfing, sail runs and ice racing.
Boating
editAlong with the upper lakes ofBig Lake Butte des Morts,Winneconne, Poygan, the Wolf River and the upper and lower Fox River, it is a popular pleasure boating area. A 1989 survey of boating intensity by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ranked the Winnebago Pool as the state's busiest inland waterway, surpassing the Mississippi River.[citation needed]
Parks
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High Cliff State Parkon the lake's northeast shore offers camping, hiking trails, views of the lake, a marina, beach, an observation tower, and picnic areas. Camping is available atCalumet County Parkand Columbia County Park inFond du Lac County.Effigy moundsoverlook the lake at High Cliff and Calumet County Park.
Lakeside Park in Fond du Lac is a 400-acre (1.6 km2) municipal park on the southern shore of Lake Winnebago with picnic areas, shelters/gazebos, a playground, a deer park, baseball diamonds, a marina, and boat launch ramps. Train rides, an old fashioned carousel, bumper boats, aqua bikes, and canoes are available for rides. A petting zoo is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. TheFond du Lac Riverenters Lake Winnebago on the eastern border of the park.
Menominee Park in Oshkosh features trails, fishing piers, boat launches, a zoo, a small amusement park, and softball, tennis and basketball facilities. It is the former site of the city's Sawdust Days Festival in July.
Fishing
editLake Winnebago is one of the more heavily fished lakes in the state.[4]Many fishermen consider it one of the nation's topwalleyefisheries. Other species present includebluegill,largemouth bass,muskellunge,northern pike,perch,burbot,white bass,crappie,freshwater drum,channel catfish,flathead catfish,andsmallmouth bass.In June 2010, Oshkosh hosted an event recognized by Guinness World Records as history's largest fishing tournament. A 2007 study put the economic value of recreational fishing at approximately $300 million per year.
Winter
editIce fishingis popular on Lake Winnebago, and it is not uncommon for 10,000 cars to park on it during the ice fishing season.[4]Expansion cracks on the ice are bridged, and many cities along the east and west shores plow roads on the icy surface.[4]Saugerand walleye predominate, with rare perch and white bass catches.[4]
Thespearfishingseason for lakesturgeonis in February. The first year of regulated sturgeon spearing was 1903, when an eight-pound limit was introduced.[12]All sturgeon spearing was banned from 1915 to 1931. The lake had the largest population of sturgeon in the United States in 2003.[12]The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regulates the number of fish taken each year.
Other seasons
editLate spring (between May 5 and June 30) is dominated by walleye and sauger fishing.[4]Sauger, also known as sand pike, bite the best in cooler water.[4]June fishing is the peak time for white bass, and July for perch. Fishing declines in fall.
In popular culture
editThe setting forDr. Seuss'sclassic children's bookThidwick the Big-Hearted Mooseis "Lake Winna-Bango" on the "far northern shore."
Map in 1835
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Gallery
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Sunset over Lake Winnebago, seen from theNiagara Escarpmenton the East shore -
Fishing boat seen from theStockbridgeHarbor -
From space (July 1996). The string of clouds in the upper left of the image runs almost perfectly north–south, with north being at the bottom of the image. -
Location in Wisconsin -
Lake Winnebago as seen from High Cliff State Park -
Fort Howard from theFox River -
From space in 2006 -
From the International Space Station onFebruary 7,2022 -
With Landsat 8 on March 20, 2022
References
edit- ^Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materialswww.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists,Menominee Dictionary - English - MenomineeLink(Archive) -Lake WinnebagoPg. 126
- ^University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Dictionary, "Lake Winnebago",Link
- ^LakesArchived2008-09-16 at theWayback Machine,United States Department of the Interior,Retrieved September 21, 2008
- ^abcdefghFolz, Dan (January 1989). "Fishing Lake Winnebago" (Document). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
- ^Steven Dutch.Lake Oshkosh DrainageArchived2017-12-16 at theWayback Machine.University of Wisconsin–Green Bay.Last updated April 4, 2013; Retrieved December 15, 2017.
- ^The Niagara EscarpmentArchived2008-05-02 at theWayback Machine;Steven Dutch; Natural and Applied Sciences;University of Wisconsin–Green Bay;Last updated June 18, 1999; Retrieved January 14, 2007
- ^William J. Kubiak (Great Lakes Indians) Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 1970
- ^Page 8 (2007-05-17),Looking Back,Chilton Times Journal
{{citation}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ab"'Ice Shoves' Along Lake Winnebago Cause Damage ".WSAW-TV.Archived fromthe originalon January 20, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 21,2013.
- ^abDoran, Chad."Ice shoves cause damage on Lake Winnebago shoreline".WLUK-TV.Archived fromthe originalon January 26, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 21,2013.
- ^"Archived copy"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2008-06-25.Retrieved2008-01-08.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^abBergquist, Lee (February 7, 2003)."With spearing season ahead, fish in Lake Winnebago system could number up to 50,000".Archived fromthe originalon March 10, 2007.Retrieved2007-01-14.
External links
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