| Lake Sutherland | |
|---|---|
| Location | Olympic Peninsula, Clallam County, Washington, USA |
| Primary outflows | Indian Creek (Elwha) |
| Basin countries | United States |
Lake Sutherland is located on the Olympic Peninsula about 17 miles (27 km) west of Port Angeles, Washington. The lake is located just to the east of Lake Crescent. Lake Sutherland drains into Indian Creek, which is a tributary of the Elwha River.
Lake Sutherland is named for the Canadian fur trapper John Sutherland who, with John Everett, discovered the lake around 1865.[1] Lake Sutherland and Indian Creek once sustained anadromous fish populations, but construction of the Elwha Dam in 1913 blocked access to the ocean, eliminating several salmon species from Indian Creek and landlocking others.
The lake contains a population of kokanee sockeye salmon, which spawn in Lake Sutherland and then migrate to Lake Aldwell, to use as their "ocean". It is expected that upon removal of the Elwha Dam in 2012, that these sockeye will return to their anadromous lifestyle.
Lake Sutherland lies just outside of Olympic National Park and is private land. The lake is surrounded by houses, many of which are vacation homes inhabited only seasonally. Boating and fishing on the lake are very popular.
There is also a reservoir in San Diego County, Situated between Ramona and Julian, with the same name.