Lewis and Clark Lake is a 31,400 acre (130 km²) reservoir located on the

border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders ca ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sov ...

s of Nebraska and South Dakota on the Missouri River. The lake is approximately in length with over of

shore A shore or a shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In physical oceanography, a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water pas ...

line and a maximum water depth of . The lake is

impounded Impoundment may refer to: Water control * The result of a dam, creating a body of water ** A reservoir, formed by a dam ** Coal slurry impoundment, a specialized form of such a reservoir used for coal mining and processing * Impounded dock, an e ...

Gavins Point Dam Gavins Point Dam is a long embankment rolled-earth and chalk-fill dam which spans the Missouri River and impounds Lewis and Clark Lake. The dam joins Cedar County, Nebraska with Yankton County, South Dakota a distance of 811.1 river miles ( ...

and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District.

History

The Missouri River Valley Area is abound with history involving several early Native American Tribes, Pioneers, and other settlers to the area due to ease of river transportation and abundant resources. Lewis and Clark Lake is named after explorers

Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with ...

and

William Clark William Clark (August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838) was an American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor. A native of Virginia, he grew up in pre-statehood Kentucky before later settling in what became the state of Miss ...

of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The lake is located along the

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. It is part of the National Trails System of the United States. It extends for some from Pittsburgh, Pe ...

. The

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

record in the area dates back to the Archaic Period, sometime around 3,000 to 5,000 B.C. The Archaic Period people lived along small tributary streams that flow into the Missouri Valley. Later,

Woodland Period In the classification of archaeological cultures of North America, the Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures spanned a period from roughly 1000 BCE to European contact in the eastern part of North America, with some archaeolog ...

people (500 B.C. – 1,000 A.D.) lived in the area. More recent inhabitants include the Ponca,

Yankton Sioux The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...

and Omaha tribes in the late 18th and 19th centuries. The Minnesota

Santee Sioux The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...

arrived on the river shore in the mid-1800s and remain in the area. In 1804, while traveling up the Missouri River on their epic journey to the Pacific Ocean, Lewis and Clark participated in a Grand council with the Yankton Sioux at a site below Calumet Bluff. This significant meeting was the first meeting with a Sioux tribe on their journey upstream. In 1874, the Bon Homme Colony of Hutterites, a branch of the Mennonite movement exiled from

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous c ...

, settled on what is now the north shore of Lewis and Clark Lake. They are the first Hutterite Colony in South Dakota and the United States. The colony maintains a traditional communal way of life. The lake was filled in 1957 with the completion of construction of Gavins Point Dam across the river valley.

Location

The lake is an impoundment of the Missouri River, located approximately upstream of

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

where the Missouri River joins the Mississippi River. The lake is located within Cedar and Knox Counties in Nebraska and Bon Homme and Yankton Counties in South Dakota. Lake Yankton is located immediately downstream of Gavins Point Dam. The

Santee Sioux Reservation The Santee Sioux Reservation ( dak, Isáŋyathi) of the Santee Sioux (also known as the Eastern Dakota) was established in 1863 in present-day Nebraska. The tribal seat of government is located in Niobrara, Nebraska, with reservation lands in K ...

is located along the southwestern shore in Knox County. The lake is located approximately west or upstream of Yankton, South Dakota.

Lewis and Clark Visitor Center

The Lewis and Clark Visitor Center is located just south of Gavins Point Dam atop Calumet Bluff with views of Lewis and Clark Lake, Lake Yankton, and the Missouri River below the dam. The visitor center is open daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and open weekdays during other times of the year. The visitor center interprets the history of the Missouri River Basin, including Native Americans, pioneers, the Lewis and Clark Expedition (which traveled through the area); along with local

wildlife Wildlife refers to undomesticated animal species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wild in an area without being introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous to game: those birds and mammals that were hunted fo ...

and the history of the Corps of Engineers in the area. A theater shows educational videos on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, construction of Gavins Point Dam, and the natural history of the Missouri River Region. A bookstore offers educational books, videos, and other merchandise for sale. The visitor center is known as a viewing point for the American Bald Eagle, which frequents the Missouri River below the dam, especially in winter months. The visitors center is operated and staffed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Rangers, who also give guided tours of Gavins Point Dam and the power plant.

Parks and recreation

Lewis and Clark Lake is a very popular regional tourist destination in the upper Midwest for

camping Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent, or a recreational vehicle. Typically, participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more natur ...

water sports Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histo ...

bird watching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...

, hunting, fishing, swimming, and

biking Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...

. Average annual public visitation exceeds one-million visitors per year to the lake area. Many of these recreation areas around the lake offer boat ramps, marinas, campgrounds, and day-use areas. The upper stretches of the lake are renowned for their superior waterfowl viewing and hunting opportunities along the Missouri River

flyway A flyway is a flight path used by large numbers of birds while migrating between their breeding grounds and their overwintering quarters. Flyways generally span continents and often pass over oceans. Although applying to any species of migrati ...

. Located downstream of the lake is the 59-mile reach of the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR) which stretches eastward from the dam to Ponca State Park, upstream of the lake is the 39-mile reach of the MNRR which stretches westward to Fort Randall Dam.

List of recreation and public use areas

The following are public parks and lake access areas on Lewis and Clark Lake: *Nebraska: ** Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area ( NE GPC) ***Weigand-Burbach Area & Marina ***South Shore Recreation Area ***Bloomfield Recreation Area ***Miller Creek Recreation Area **

Niobrara State Park Niobrara State Park is a public recreation area located at the confluence of the Missouri and Niobrara rivers in the northeast corner of Nebraska. The state park occupies river bluffs to the west of the village of Niobrara and the Niobrara Riv ...

(NE GPC) **Niobrara Recreation Area (Village of Niobrara) ** Calumet Bluff Trail & Overlook ( USACE) **Hideaway Acres (Hideaway Acres Assn.) **Santee Recreation Area (USACE & Santee Sioux Nation) ** Cottonwood Recreation Area (USACE) ** Nebraska Tailwaters Recreation Area (USACE) ** Training Dike Recreation Area (USACE) **Deep Water Area (USACE) **Devil's Nest (USACE) **Bazile Creek Wildlife Management Area (NE GPC) *South Dakota: ** Lewis & Clark Recreation Area ( SD GFP) ***Lewis & Clark Marina and Resort *** Pierson Ranch Recreation Area *** Chief White Crane Recreation Area ** Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) **Tabor Lakeside Use Area (SD GFP) **Charley Creek Lakeside Use Area (SD GFP) **Twin Bridges Lakeside Use Area (SD GFP) **Sand Creek Lakeside Use Area (SD GFP) ** Springfield Recreation Area (SD GFP) **Springfield Bottoms Game Production Area (SD GFP) **Running Water Lakeside Use Area (SD GFP) *Key: ** NE GPC = Nebraska Game and Parks Commission ** USACE = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ** SD GFP = South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks

Fish, wildlife and natural resources

The natural resources and public lands on and around the lake are cooperatively managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the

South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks (GFP) is the U.S. State of South Dakota's State Agency charged with the management of the state's public recreational and outdoor resources. The GFP manages the 13 State Parks and 43 State Recr ...

. Common game species around the lake include

White-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

Wild Turkey The wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo'') is an upland ground bird native to North America, one of two extant species of turkey and the heaviest member of the order Galliformes. It is the ancestor to the domestic turkey, which was originally d ...

, many species of waterfowl, Pheasant,

Cottontail rabbit Cottontail rabbits are the leporid species in the genus ''Sylvilagus'', found in the Americas. Most ''Sylvilagus'' species have stub tails with white undersides that show when they retreat, giving them their characteristic name. However, this ...

Mourning Dove The mourning dove (''Zenaida macroura'') is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. The bird is also known as the American mourning dove, the rain dove, and colloquially as the turtle dove, and was once known as the Carolina pigeon and Carol ...

, and squirrel. The American Bald Eagle is commonly seen around the dam and lake area, especially in the winter months. Each January the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center hosts "Bald Eagle Days" a live-bird program that is popular with visitors. Species of fish present include walleye, northern pike,

sauger The sauger (''Sander canadensis'') is a freshwater perciform fish of the family Percidae that resembles its close relative, the walleye. The species is a member of the largest vertebrate order, the Perciformes.Jaeger, Matthew. 2004. Montana's Fi ...

, sunfish,

yellow perch The yellow perch (''Perca flavescens''), commonly referred to as perch, striped perch, American perch, American river perch or preacher is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Sam ...

common carp The Eurasian carp or European carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), widely known as the common carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Arkive The ...

black bullhead The black bullhead or black bullhead catfish (''Ameiurus melas'') is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid and/or very warm. It also has barbel ...

channel catfish The channel catfish (''Ictalurus punctatus'') is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States, the ...

, and smallmouth bass. Fishing below

is very popular, especially for the annual paddlefish

snagging Snagging, also known as snag fishing, snatching, snatch fishing, jagging (Australia), or foul hooking, is a fishing technique for catching fish that uses sharp grappling hooks tethered to a fishing line to externally pierce (i.e. "snag") into th ...

season in October and

bowfishing Bowfishing is a method of hunting fish that uses specialized archery equipment to lethally shoot and retrieve the animal. Fish are shot with a barbed arrow that is attached with a special line to a reel mounted on a bow or crossbow. Historically, ...

in June. The "Fishing Wall" immediately below the dam's

spillway A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam or levee, typically into the riverbed of the dammed river itself. In the United Kingdom, they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways ensure th ...

is popular for fishing year-round as the dam keeps the river free of ice in the winter months. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

monitor and manage threatened and endangered species on the lake and river. Species of concern include the Pallid sturgeon,

least tern The least tern (''Sternula antillarum'') is a species of tern that breeds in North America and locally in northern South America. It is closely related to, and was formerly often considered conspecific with, the little tern of the Old World. Ot ...

, and piping plover. A branch of the Corps known as th
Missouri River Recovery Program
monitors these species and helps to restore native habitat that was lost as a result of dam construction and channelization of the Missouri River. The Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery is located just downstream of the lake.

Current lake issues

There are several issues impacting recreation, wildlife, and other issues. In 2014

zebra mussels The zebra mussel (''Dreissena polymorpha'') is a small freshwater mussel. The species originates from the lakes of southern Russia and Ukraine, but has been accidentally introduced to numerous other areas and has become an invasive species in ma ...

, an aquatic invasive

mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which ...

were discovered in the lake and have infested the reservoir and the Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam. Lewis and Clark Lake is significantly impacted by

sedimentation Sedimentation is the deposition of sediments. It takes place when particles in suspension settle out of the fluid in which they are entrained and come to rest against a barrier. This is due to their motion through the fluid in response to the ...

and siltation issues, diminishing the overall water surface area, water storage capacity, and recreational opportunities. Sediment carried by the Missouri River and Niobrara River is slowed and trapped within the reservoir due to the dam impounding and thus slowing the natural river flow. Studies show approximately 5.1 million tons of sediment are deposited in the lake each year, which contributes to the lake's increasing size of delta area on the western portions of the lake. Approximately 60% of the sediment comes from the Nebraska Sandhills via the Niobrara River. As of 2016, approximately 30% of the lake's overall surface area has diminished due to sedimentation deposits, and some figures project by 2045 approximately 50% of the lake will be diminished due to sedimentation deposits. Presently, there is no plan or solution to remove or slow the progression of the siltation within the lake.http://msaconline.com/

External links

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gavins Point Project & Lewis and Clark Lake
(Official site)
Corps Lakes - Lewis and Clark LakeRecreation.gov - Lewis and Clark LakeLewis and Clark State Recreation Area - Nebraska Game and Parks CommissionLewis and Clark Recreation Area - South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & ParksSpringfield Recreation Area - South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks

References

{{authority control Reservoirs in Nebraska Reservoirs in South Dakota Lewis and Clark Bodies of water of Bon Homme County, South Dakota Bodies of water of Cedar County, Nebraska Bodies of water of Knox County, Nebraska Buildings and structures in Knox County, Nebraska Buildings and structures in Cedar County, Nebraska Bodies of water of Yankton County, South Dakota Tourist attractions in Bon Homme County, South Dakota Tourist attractions in Yankton County, South Dakota Tourist attractions in Cedar County, Nebraska Tourist attractions in Knox County, Nebraska Federal lands in Nebraska Water supply infrastructure in Nebraska Lakes of South Dakota Lakes of Nebraska Lewis and Clark Expedition