| Lake Cadillac | |
|---|---|
| The lake, popular with boaters in the summer. | |
| Location | Cadillac, Wexford County, Michigan |
| Lake type | Soft water kettle lake |
| Primary inflows | Clam Lake Canal |
| Primary outflows | Clam River |
| Catchment area | 34,356 km2 (13,265 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 2.6 mi (4.2 km) |
| Max. width | .82 mi (1.32 km) |
| Surface area | 1,150 acres (4.7 km2) |
| Average depth | 11.8 ft (3.6 m) |
| Max. depth | 28 ft (8.5 m) |
| Water volume | 13,458 acre·ft (16,600,000 m3) |
| Shore length1 | 7.77 mi (12.50 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,289 ft (393 m) |
| Settlements | Cadillac |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Cadillac is a lake located within the city of Cadillac, Michigan. It is part of the Muskegon River watershed.
Contents |
Lake Cadillac is fed by two inlets: a small river flowing from Lake Mitchell and a short canal of the same origin. There is one outlet, the Clam River.[1]
In 2005, infestations of Eurasian water milfoil were discovered. During the summer, over a quarter of the lake's surface area became inhabited by the milfoil.[2] Treatments for the invasive began in 2006. In 2007 the infestation was brought down to acceptable levels.[3]
Historically, Lake Cadillac was referred to as Little Clam Lake. In 1873, a canal was constructed connecting Little Clam Lake to Big Clam Lake (present-day Lake Mitchell). At the time, the canal enabled logging on the west side of Lake Mitchell; logs floated through the canal entered Lake Cadillac, on the east shore of which stood lumber mills, the railroad and the Village of Clam Lake. When the Village officially changed its name to the City of Cadillac in 1882, the lake became known as Lake Cadillac.
Following the passing of the lumber area, the lake became a regional tourist destination. William Mitchell State Park, popular with campers, now occupies the west shore of the lake, adjacent to the canal.