North Tenmile Lake

North Tenmile Lake is one of a chain of lakes along the Oregon Coast south of the Umpqua River in the United States. The chain includes Tenmile, Eel, Clear, and smaller lakes, which drain into the Pacific Ocean via Tenmile Creek. The lake is 8 miles (13 km) south of Reedsport and 1 mile (1.6 km) east of U.S. Route 101 near the community of Lakeside. North Tenmile Lake is connected to Tenmile Lake by a navigable 0.5-mile (0.80 km) channel.[1]

North Tenmile Lake
North Tenmile Lake from North Lake Road east of Lakeside
North Tenmile Lake
North Tenmile Lake
LocationDouglas and Coos counties, near Lakeside
Coordinates43°34′57″N 124°08′12″W
TypeNatural, eutrophic
Primary inflowsSmall creeks
Primary outflowsNorth Lake Canal to Tenmile Lake
Catchment area29 square miles (75 km2)
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area1,098 acres (444 ha)
Average depth11 feet (3.4 m)
Max. depth23 feet (7 m)
Water volume12,100 acre feet (14,900,000 m3)
Residence time2 months
Shore length119 miles (31 km)
Surface elevation13 feet (4.0 m)
SettlementsReedsport, Lakeside
References[1][2][3][4]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

North Tenmile Lake is named after the creek, which is about 10 miles (16 km) south of Winchester Bay. This community, at the mouth of the Umpqua River, was the earliest pioneer village along this part of the coast.[5]

Geology and history

The lakes in the Tenmile Creek watershed formed after rising sea levels, driven by post-glacial warming, inundated the lower reaches of the creek and its tributaries. Sand dunes that later formed along the coast altered the region's drainage patterns and led to a string of lakes at varied elevations within the Tenmile basin.[1]

In the early 20th century, North Tenmile Lake was a cold-water fishery that supported large populations of coastal cutthroat trout, salmon, and steelhead.[1] However, the watershed was gradually altered by logging, farming, stream channeling, and the introduction of invasive fish species such as yellow perch and brown bullhead.[1] Attempts to restore the cold-water fishery, including poisoning Eel, Tenmile and North Tenmile lakes with rotenone in 1968, all failed. Bluegill and largemouth bass are among species that have since dominated the fishery.[1]

Recreation

North Tenmile Lake and Tenmile Lake combined have been called "a premier largemouth bass fishery."[6] In addition to largemouth bass, the shallow dendritic lakes with their complicated shorelines support populations of brown bullhead, bluegill, black crappie, coastal cutthroat trout, and stocked rainbow trout. Bass-catching tournaments are common at these lakes, and experts are able to catch 20 to 50 largemouth a day that weigh 2 to 5 pounds (0.9 to 2.3 kg).[6]

The two lakes, connected by the North Lake Canal, are used for boating, waterskiing, and swimming, as well as fishing. In Lakeside, near the outlet of Tenmile Lake, Coos County manages Tenmile Lakes Park. It has boat ramps, docks, a fish-cleaning stand, picnic tables, horseshoe courts, restrooms, and other amenities. A campground in the park accommodates recreational vehicles (RVs) and tents.[7]

See also
  • List of lakes in Oregon

References
  1. Johnson, Daniel M.; Petersen, Richard R.; Lycan, D. Richard; Sweet, James W.; Neuhaus, Mark E., and Schaedel, Andrew L. (1985). Atlas of Oregon Lakes. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press. pp. 130–31 and 243. ISBN 0-87071-343-4.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. "Atlas of Oregon Lakes: North Tenmile Lake (Coos County, Douglas County)". Portland State University. 1985–2012. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  3. "Atlas of Oregon Lakes: Tenmile Lake (Coos County)". Portland State University. 1985–2012. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  4. "North Tenmile Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. November 28, 1980. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  5. McArthur, Lewis A.; McArthur, Lewis L. (2003) [1928]. Oregon Geographic Names (7th ed.). Portland, Oregon: Oregon Historical Society Press. p. 943. ISBN 978-0875952772.
  6. Sheehan, Madelynne Diness (2005). Fishing in Oregon: The Complete Oregon Fishing Guide (10th ed.). Scappoose, Oregon: Flying Pencil Publications. pp. 96–98. ISBN 0-916473-15-5.
  7. "Tenmile Lakes Park". Coos County. 2011. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
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