USGS Water-Year Summary 2024

11492200 CRATER LAKE NEAR CRATER LAKE, OR

LOCATION - Lat 42°58'33", long 122°05'17" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Klamath County, OR, Hydrologic Unit 18010201, at boat harbor, at end of trail in Cleetwood Cove and 6 mi northeast of Crater Lake post office.

DRAINAGE AREA - 26.2 mi². of which 20.5 mi² is lake area at elevation 6,176 ft.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - October 1961 to current year. 1878 to September 1961 (fragmentary records) available in files of U.S. Geological Survey.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Datum of gage is NGVD of 1929. Prior to September 1961, nonrecording gage and various reference points used near old boat landing at abandoned trail (Eagle Cove) directly across lake.

REMARKS - Crater Lake occupies the caldera of prehistoric Mount Mazama. It has no visible inlet or outlet. Over a period of years precipitation and runoff from snowmelt on the walls of the crater are offset by seepage and evaporation. Records of accumulated annual precipitation, collected at the north rim of Crater Lake as part of the operation of this station, are published annually in reports of the National Weather Service. Continuous water temperature records for period October 1963 to September 2004 have been collected at this location.

EXTREMES OUTSIDE PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum elevation known, 6,180.5 ft, average of several observations of line of crustose lichens made between 1916 and 1960; that stage may have occurred near the close of the 19th century. The occurrence of living pine trees slightly higher suggests that the lake has not been materially higher for several centuries.

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum elevation, 6,179.34 ft Mar. 25, 1975; minimum elevation observed, 6,163.2 ft Sept. 10, 1942.