Siskiwit Lake (Isle Royale) Explained

Siskiwit Lake
Coords:48.0014°N -88.7972°W
Basin Countries:United States
Area:4150acres
Pushpin Map:Michigan
Elevation:646feet
Islands:Ryan

Siskiwit Lake is the largest lake on Isle Royale in Lake Superior. 4150acres in area,[1] the lake has cold, clear water which is relatively low in nutrients.[2] Tributaries include the Little Siskiwit River, and the lake's outlet is the Siskiwit River which flows into Lake Superior.

Siskiwit Lake is available for fishing, with restrictions (no motorized boats, no natural bait). Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, and Yellow Perch are found in the lake.[3] A 2004 study of toxaphene concentrations found that concentrations were lower in Siskiwit Lake trout than in Lake Superior trout, possibly due to shorter food chains and greater reliance on zooplankton or other pelagic invertebrates.[4]

Siskiwit Lake contains several lake islands, including Eagle Nest Island, Teakettle Island, Lost and Found Island,[1] and Ryan Island. Common loons nest and breed on some of these islands.[1]

Siskiwit Lake and Ryan Island were together part of the subject of the Moose Boulder hoax, which claimed that a boulder existed in the seasonal pond of Moose Flats on Ryan Island in Siskiwit Lake. This would have made Moose Boulder the largest known island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in a lake. In 2020, Moose Boulder was reported to be a hoax.[5] [6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A Breeding Atlas of the Common Loon (Gavia Imer) at Isle Royale National Park, Michigan . Joseph D. . Kaplan . Keren B. . Tischler . Damon L. . McCormick . amp . May 1, 2002 . BioDiversity Research Institute . February 21, 2014.
  2. Web site: Shelton . Napier . THE LIFE OF ISLE ROYALE . npshistory.com . 23 June 2023.
  3. Web site: Fishing . Nyx . February 21, 2014.
  4. Bioaccumulation of Toxaphene Congeners in the Lake Superior Food Web . Muir . Derek C. G. . Whittle . D. Michael . De Vault . David S. . Bronte . Charles R. . Karlsson . Heidi . Backus . Sean . Teixeira . Camilla . amp . April 2004 . Journal of Great Lakes Research . 30 . 2 . 316–340 . 10.1016/S0380-1330(04)70350-0.
  5. Web site: The Intrepid Mother and Son Who Unraveled a Geographic Hoax. Taub. Matthew. March 10, 2020. Atlas Obscura. en.
  6. Web site: The Lonely Non-Island: Unfortunately, Moose Boulder Doesn't Exist. . March 13, 2020.