Our Waters
The Clark Fork River and Lake Pend Oreille
At 320 miles long, the Clark Fork River of Lewis and Clark fame is western
Montana’s largest river. Its headwaters begin near Butte, Montana, flowing
westward to drain the Blackfoot, Bitterroot, and Flathead River basins.
After crisscrossing western Montana, the river flows into the panhandle of
Idaho for approximately 11 miles before emptying into Idaho’s Lake Pend
Oreille.
Once there, the river provides 90% of the lake’s water. In 2000, American
Rivers listed the Clark Fork River as one of “America’s Most Endangered
Rivers” due to the grave risks posed by the Rock Creek mine.
Lake Pend Oreille, at 128 square miles, is Idaho’s largest lake. Nearly as long as Lake Ontario, Pend Oreille is 43 miles at its longest point. At 1,158 feet deep, the lake has the distinction of being the fifth deepest in the nation.
Of great importance to Idaho’s northern panhandle community, is Lake Pend Oreille’s clean water, wild scenic beauty, and large expanse of undeveloped shoreline. These attributes make it a magnet for tourists, recreationists, and residents alike.
The State of Idaho has designated the lake a “Special Resource Water” due to
these unique ecological characteristics, outstanding recreational and
aesthetic properties, and the high quality of its water.
Not surprisingly, Lake Pend Oreille is the lifeblood of the communities that surround it. The lake is the driving force behind an economy successfully moving from one historically dependent upon resource extraction to an economy based on tourism, recreation, and small clean industry. The lake provides unparalleled opportunities for swimming, boating, kayaking, and wildlife viewing.
The lake also is well known for its prize fishery. Pend Oreille provides important habitat for native fish such as westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, and mountain whitefish. Record-sized kokanee, rainbow trout, and lake trout make up its important sports fishery.
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| Photograph by Mark Alan Wilson |
Lake Pend Oreille, at 128 square miles, is Idaho’s largest lake. Nearly as long as Lake Ontario, Pend Oreille is 43 miles at its longest point. At 1,158 feet deep, the lake has the distinction of being the fifth deepest in the nation.
Of great importance to Idaho’s northern panhandle community, is Lake Pend Oreille’s clean water, wild scenic beauty, and large expanse of undeveloped shoreline. These attributes make it a magnet for tourists, recreationists, and residents alike.
 |
| Photograph by Mark Alan Wilson |
Not surprisingly, Lake Pend Oreille is the lifeblood of the communities that surround it. The lake is the driving force behind an economy successfully moving from one historically dependent upon resource extraction to an economy based on tourism, recreation, and small clean industry. The lake provides unparalleled opportunities for swimming, boating, kayaking, and wildlife viewing.
The lake also is well known for its prize fishery. Pend Oreille provides important habitat for native fish such as westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, and mountain whitefish. Record-sized kokanee, rainbow trout, and lake trout make up its important sports fishery.