Iliamna Lake

Iliamna Lake
Nanvarpak(Central Yupik) Nila Vena(Tanaina)
Satellite image of Iliamna Lake
Iliamna Lake Iliamna Lake
Location	Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska
Coordinates	59°32′12″N155°01′28″W
Lake type	oligotrophic
Primary inflows	Newhalen River,Iliamna River,Pile River,Copper River
Primary outflows	Kvichak River
Basincountries	United States
Max. length	77 mi (124 km)
Max. width	22 mi (35 km)
Surface area	1,012.5 sq mi (2,622 km2)
Average depth	144 ft (44 m)
Max. depth	988 ft (301 m)
Water volume	115.5 km3(27.7 cu mi)
Residence time	7.8 years
Surface elevation	46 ft (14 m)
Settlements	Iliamna,Newhalen,Kokhanok,Pedro Bay,Igiugig
References

Iliamna LakeorLake Iliamna(Yup'ik:Nanvarpak;Dena'ina Athabascan:Nila Vena) is a lake in southwestAlaska,at the north end of theAlaska Peninsula,betweenKvichak BayandCook Inlet,about 100 miles (160 km) west ofSeldovia, Alaska.It shares a name with theIliamna River,which flows into it, and the nearby community ofIliamna, Alaska.

It is the largest lake inAlaska,7th largest lakein the United States, and twenty-fourth in North America. Covering about 2,600 km²(1,000 sq mi), Iliamna Lake is 77 miles (124 km) long and up to 22 miles (35 km) wide, with a maximum depth of 988 feet (301 m). Through theKvichak River,its waters drain intoBristol Bay.

History

Location of Iliamna in Alaska

Name

The lake is marked as 'Oz[ero] Bol[shoy] Ilyamna' (Big Ilyamna Lake) on theRussian Hydrographical Department's Chart 1455, published in 1852. On an earlier Russian map, from 1802, the lake was named 'Oz[ero] Shelekhovo' (Lake Shelekov) after Russian explorerGrigory Shelekhov.According to G.C. Martin, of theUnited States Geological Survey,Iliamna is said to be "the name of a mythical greatblackfishsupposed to inhabit this lake, which bites holes in thebidarkasof bad natives. "

Men pose by the lake with their reindeer, 1917

The name Iliamna is derived from the InlandDena'ina AthabascannameNila Vena,which means island's lake.

Economy

Williamsport-Pile Bay Road portage

Originally constructed by theAlaska Road Commissionduring the mid 1930s, the Williamsport-Pile Bay Road is a utility-class road maintained by theAlaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities.Connecting Pile Bay on the lake's northeast side with Williamsport, a tiny settlement on the Iliamna Bay ofCook Inlet(about 100 miles (160 km) southwest ofHomer), the road is 15.5 miles (24.9 km) long and one lane wide with four bridges. The Williamsport-Pile Bay Road is maintained as a gravel utility road for the purpose of hauling boats and freight, and is not intended for general purpose use. The road allows boats small enough to be hauled across the road's bridges an opportunity toportagefrom Cook Inlet toBristol Bay,saving a trip on the open ocean which involves traveling around theAlaska Peninsula.For this and other reasons, the road is also believed to significantly reduce fuel costs for the Lake Iliamna and Bristol Bay regions.

Populated places

The villages ofIliamna,Newhalen,Kokhanok,Pedro Bay,Pope-Vannoy LandingandIgiugiglie on the shores of Iliamna Lake.

Flora and fauna

Iliamna Lake is noted for itssport fishing.The three primary targets of anglers in the lake are trout, salmon, and grayling. August through September is prime time for catching fatrainbow trout,some of which exceed 28 inches long. The Kvichak River Policy (the drainage of Lake Iliamna) iscatch and releaseon trout (and all other native fish), but not on salmon. Sockeye (red) and Chinook (king) salmon are consistently found in the lake and are open to harvest underAlaska Department of Fish and GameRegulations. Lake Iliamna also has one of few populations offreshwater sealsin the world.It also serves as a nursery for the largest red salmon run in the world. Red salmon spend half of their 5-year lifespan in fresh water. This is longer than any other species of salmon.

Monster Legend

Local residents have a number of stories about the alleged Iliamna Lake Monster, an unknown aquatic creature.Speculation exists that reported sightings may be of an undocumented population ofwhite sturgeon.If true, this would be the most northerly population known to exist, just a few hundred miles from the Arctic Circle.Jeremy Wade,presenter of Animal Planet's River Monsters, is among those who speculate these sightings of a reputed "monster" are of a white sturgeon. Others believe that it is aPacific sleeper shark.Evidence of this is corroborated by a 2012 YouTube video that shows a smaller Pacific sleeper shark in Lake Iliamna. There were several new sightings in 2017. The Anchorage Daily News once offered a prize of $100,000 for concrete proof of its existence.

See also

• List of lakes of Alaska

• List of reported lake monsters

External links

• "Detailed USGS topographic map"(JPEG).United States Topographic Maps 1:250,000.US Geological Survey map hosted by theUniversity of Texas.1983.

• Lake Iliamna Dam in Minecraft