| Wickiup Reservoir | |
|---|---|
| Wickiup Dam holds Wickiup Reservoir | |
| Location | Deschutes County, near La Pine, Oregon, USA |
| Surface area | 11,200 acres (45,000,000 m2) |
| Average depth | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
| Max. depth | 70 feet (21 m) |
| Surface elevation | 4,336 feet (1,322 m) |
Wickiup Reservoir is the second-largest reservoir in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located 60 miles (97 km) southwest of Bend, and is the largest of the Cascade Lakes.[1] Wickiup Reservoir is close to Twin Lakes, Davis Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir, Cultus Lake, and Little Cultus Lake. The reservoir is located within the Deschutes National Forest and the Fort Rock Ranger District, near the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway.
Like nearby Crane Prairie Reservoir, Wickiup Reservoir was created by damming of the Deschutes River. The Wickiup Dam was built in 1949 for the "Deschutes Project" and "Pringle Falls Experimental Forest", which is used for education and research. Other nearby dams include the Crane Prairie Dam and Haystack Dam.[2] The dam is 2.6 miles (4.2 km) long.[3]
The average depth of the reservoir is 20 feet (6.1 m), with depths up to 70 feet (21 m) in channels. Because of this, fishing is very popular in the lake, especially for brown trout, which is dubbed as the best fishing for brown trout in the state, which average between 5 pounds (2.3 kg) to 8 pounds (3.6 kg), but some reach over 20 pounds (9.1 kg).[1]
According to the United States Forest Service, Wickiup Reservoir is one of Central Oregon's best wildlife viewing areas. Some of the nature that thrives in the area include waterfowl, shorebirds, hoofed mammals, ponderosa pine, and lodgepole pine.[3]
Also at Wickiup Reservoir are several recreation options. There are six campgrounds on site,[4] all of which include a boat ramp, toilets and water. In a 5-mile (8.0 km) area, there are also several geocaches.[1]
On August 12, 2009, the Oregon Department of Human Services issued a health advisory due to a large algae bloom. They mentioned that "drinking water from Wickiup Reservoir was dangerous, even if boiled or treated" and that anyone who relies on the water from the lake should find an alternate source.[5]