Lake Pend Oreille

The Lake Pend Oreille is a lake in the north of the Idaho panhandle. It has a length of 105 miles and a water area of 383 km ².

The maximum depth of the lake is 351 m. He is the fifth deepest lake in the United States. The lake is fed by the Clark Fork River and the Pack. The Pend Oreille River forms the drain. The lake is surrounded by national forests and several villages. Sand Point on the northwest shore of them is the greatest.

The lake is almost completely in Bonner County. Only the southern tip of the lake is located in Kootenai County and is part of the Farragut State Park.

The forests consist of ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, poplars, American aspens, paper birch and larch American West.

For livestock the surrounding forests include mule deer, elk, wolf, moose, squirrels, American Black Bear, Coyote and Bobcat. Furthermore, the following birds are found here: bald eagle, osprey, owls, hummingbirds, hawks, woodpeckers, ducks and the mountain bluebird. The lake also serves many species of migratory birds as a resting place.

History

Lake Pend Oreille was formed during the last ice age glaciers. Lake Pend Oreille is the traditional territory of the Kalispell Indians. David Thompson established a trading post in 1809 the North West Company on the lakeshore. It is believed that a French- Canadian fur trader who accompanied Thompson in his expedition, the lake gave the name. The words mean " Pend Oreille " from the French " Earrings Pendants ". Such were characteristic for the root of Kalispell.

During the 2nd World War &nsp; the south end of the lake was the second largest naval training center in the world. It was built in response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and is now part of the Farragut State Park. The lake is still used by the U.S. Navy for research purposes (underwater sound wave research ) was used.