Green Lake (Wisconsin)
Green Lake — also known as Big Green Lake (to distinguish it from Little Green Lake, which is near Markesan)— is a lake in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, United States.
| Green Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Green Lake County, Wisconsin, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°49′28″N 88°57′52″W |
| Type | Natural, pre-glacial valley |
| Primary inflows | Silver Creek |
| Primary outflows | Puchyan Creek |
| Catchment area | 100 sq mi (260 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 7.5 mi (12.1 km) |
| Max. width | 3.0 mi (4.8 km) |
| Surface area | 7,325 acres (30 km2) |
| Average depth | 101 ft (31 m) |
| Max. depth | 237 ft (72 m) (deepest natural lake in Wisconsin) |
| Water volume | 255,000,000,000 US gal (0.97 km3) |
| Residence time | 21 years |
| Shore length1 | 29.3 mi (47.2 km) |
| Surface elevation | 796 ft (243 m) |
| Islands | 1, manmade at Green Lake Conference Center |
| Settlements | Green Lake |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
The lake has a maximum depth of 237 feet (72 m), making it the deepest natural inland lake in Wisconsin. The lake covers 7,346 acres (30 km2), has 29.3 miles (47.2 km) of shoreline and has an average depth of 100 feet (30 m).[1]
Many large, wooden hotels and one short-lived casino populated the north shore during the late 19th century in the city of Green Lake, but most have burned down. One was the Pleasant Point, which opened in the early 1880s,[2] was criticized for the exclusion of Jewish patrons in 1923,[3][4] and burned down sometime before 1956.[5] There are three golf courses near Green Lake.
Big Green Lake is known for its fishing. Fish found in Big Green Lake include northern pike, largemouth bass, muskellunge, crappie, walleye, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, white bass, perch, rock bass and cisco and lake trout. The Wisconsin inland lake record lake trout was caught on Big Green Lake by Joseph Gotz on June 1, 1957 and weighed 35 lb 4 oz (16.0 kg) The Wisconsin record cisco was caught on Big Green on June 12, 1969 by Joe Miller and weighed 4 lb 10.5 oz (2.11 kg)
The sources of Green Lake's water, in approximate percentages, are: direct precipitation, 51%; surface water, 41%; ground water, 8%. It empties into the Fox River through the Puchyan River.
Green Lake Association
Founded in 1951, the Green Lake Association (GLA) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, membership organization. Their membership includes nearly 800 households and businesses within the watershed. They promote the conservation of Big Green Lake and its watershed with a singular focus on water quality. [6]
Green Lake Conservancy
The Green Lake Conservancy is an organization dedicated to preserving the lands surrounding Green Lake. It has worked to establish trails, restore native habitat, and promote a sense of stewardship among young people by providing nature experiences and camps.[7]
References
- "Wisconsin's Largest Water Areas" in Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. State of Wisconsin 2005-2006 Blue Book. Madison: Wisconsin Legislature Joint Committee on Legislative Organization, 2005, p. 691.
- Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin ... Acme Publishing Company. 1890.
- "Clipped From The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle". The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. 1923-06-01. p. 7. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- "1 Jun 1923, Page 3 - The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- "Clipped From Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter". Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter. 1967-08-21. p. 19. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- "Green Lake Association". Green Lake Association. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
- Wallenfang, Lindsie (January 2017). "Green Lake Conservancy". Green Lake Magazine. Retrieved December 12, 2017.