Panguitch Lake
Encyclopedia
Panguitch Lake was originally a large natural lake
(777 acres) that has now been expanded by the creation of a 24 feet (7 m) dam
to become a reservoir
with a maximum surface area of 1248 acres (5 km²). The lake, which drains into the Sevier River
is located on the Markagunt Plateau
, between Panguitch, Utah
and Cedar Breaks National Monument
. The lake is located in the Dixie National Forest
in a high tourist use area near three national parks and one national monument
.
Panguitch Lake contains several campgrounds. Convenience stores and an LDS chapel are within walking distance of the campgrounds, and the roads are well paved and maintained. Road access to the lake is provided by Utah State Route 143
, also known as the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway or Utah's Patchwork Parkway.
The earliest known use of Panguitch Lake was as a fishery
by Paiute Indians
. In fact, the name Panguitch means "big fish" in the Paiute language. Panguitch Lake was treated with rotenone
beginning May 1, 2006 to control the population of Utah chub
, which were probably introduced accidentally by anglers using them as live bait
. As this treatment removes all fish from the lake, it had to be restocked on May 25, 2006 with 20,000 rainbow trout
. The lake has been treated twice before, once in the 1980s, then again in 1991.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
(777 acres) that has now been expanded by the creation of a 24 feet (7 m) dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
to become a reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
with a maximum surface area of 1248 acres (5 km²). The lake, which drains into the Sevier River
Sevier River
The Sevier River , extending , is the longest Utah river entirely in the state and drains an extended chain of mountain farming valleys to the intermittent Sevier Lake...
is located on the Markagunt Plateau
Markagunt Plateau
The Markagunt Plateau is an plateau located in southwestern Utah between Interstate 15 and U.S. Route 89. It is one of the plateaus that make up the High Plateaus Section of the Colorado Plateau. The plateau encompasses Cedar Breaks National Monument and is part of Cedar Mountain District of...
, between Panguitch, Utah
Panguitch, Utah
Panguitch is a city in and the county seat of Garfield County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,623 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Panguitch is located at ....
and Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar Breaks National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in the U.S. state of Utah near Cedar City. Cedar Breaks is a natural amphitheater canyon, stretching across , with a depth of over . The elevation of the rim of the canyon is over above sea level.The eroded rock of the canyon is...
. The lake is located in the Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest is a United States National Forest in Utah with headquarters in Cedar City. It occupies almost two million acres and stretches for about 170 miles across southern Utah. The largest national forest in Utah, it straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River...
in a high tourist use area near three national parks and one national monument
U.S. National Monument
A National Monument in the United States is a protected area that is similar to a National Park except that the President of the United States can quickly declare an area of the United States to be a National Monument without the approval of Congress. National monuments receive less funding and...
.
Panguitch Lake contains several campgrounds. Convenience stores and an LDS chapel are within walking distance of the campgrounds, and the roads are well paved and maintained. Road access to the lake is provided by Utah State Route 143
Utah State Route 143
State Route 143 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Utah. The entire highway has been designated the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway as part of the Utah Scenic Byways program...
, also known as the Brian Head-Panguitch Lake Scenic Byway or Utah's Patchwork Parkway.
The earliest known use of Panguitch Lake was as a fishery
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
by Paiute Indians
Paiute
Paiute refers to three closely related groups of Native Americans — the Northern Paiute of California, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon; the Owens Valley Paiute of California and Nevada; and the Southern Paiute of Arizona, southeastern California and Nevada, and Utah.-Origin of name:The origin of...
. In fact, the name Panguitch means "big fish" in the Paiute language. Panguitch Lake was treated with rotenone
Rotenone
Rotenone is an odorless chemical that is used as a broad-spectrum insecticide, piscicide, and pesticide. It occurs naturally in the roots and stems of several plants such as the jicama vine plant...
beginning May 1, 2006 to control the population of Utah chub
Utah chub
The Utah chub is a cyprinid fish native to western North America, where it is abundant in the upper Snake River and throughout the Lake Bonneville basin....
, which were probably introduced accidentally by anglers using them as live bait
Bait (luring substance)
Bait is any substance used to attract prey, e.g. in a mousetrap.-In Australia:Baiting in Australia refers to specific campaigns to control foxes, wild dogs and dingos by poisoning in areas where they are a problem...
. As this treatment removes all fish from the lake, it had to be restocked on May 25, 2006 with 20,000 rainbow trout
Rainbow trout
The rainbow trout is a species of salmonid native to tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead is a sea run rainbow trout usually returning to freshwater to spawn after 2 to 3 years at sea. In other words, rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species....
. The lake has been treated twice before, once in the 1980s, then again in 1991.
External links
- Panguitch Lake Visitor Guide
- Panguitch Lake at the Utah Division of Wildlife ResourcesUtah Division of Wildlife ResourcesThe Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is part of the Utah Department of Natural Resources for the state of Utah in the United States. The mission of the Division of Wildlife Resources is to serve the people of Utah as trustee and guardian of the state's wildlife, and to ensure its future and...
- Panguitch Lake at GO-UTAH.com by the Utah Division of Water QualityUtah Division of Water QualityThe Utah Division of Water Quality is an organization dedicated to preserving Utah's surface and underground water from certain hazards. It is a member of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.-External links:* *...
- Bryce Canyon Country - Panguitch Lake