Lake Sakakawea

Lake Sakakawea
Lake Sakakawea highlighted in light blue on Missouri River Basin map
Lake Sakakawea Location in the United States Show map of the United States Lake Sakakawea Location in North Dakota Show map of North Dakota
Location	North Dakota,  United States
Coordinates	47°30′N 101°25′W / 47.50°N 101.41°W / 47.50; -101.41 at Garrison Dam
Lake type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Missouri River, Little Missouri River, Milk River, and Yellowstone River.
Primary outflows	Missouri River
Catchment area	317,400 km2 (122,500 sq mi)
Max. length	178 miles (286 km)
Surface area	307,000 acres (480 sq mi; 1,240 km2)
Max. depth	180 ft (55 m) at dam
Water volume	23,800,000 acre⋅ft (29.4 km3)[1]
Shore length1	1,320 miles (2,120 km)
Surface elevation	1,817 ft (554 m)[1]
Settlements	Williston, Pick City, Four Bears Village, and Riverdale, North Dakota
References	[1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Lake Sakakawea is a large reservoir in the north central United States, impounded in 1953 by Garrison Dam, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam located in the Missouri River basin in central North Dakota. Named for the Shoshone-Hidatsa woman Sakakawea (who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition), it is the largest man-made lake located entirely within North Dakota, the second largest in the United States by area after Lake Oahe, and the third largest in the United States by volume, after Lake Mead and Lake Powell.

The lake is located about fifty miles (80 km) from the state capital of Bismarck; the distance by the Missouri River is about 75 miles (120 km). The lake's width averages between 2–3 miles (3–5 km), with a maximum of 14 miles (23 km) at Van Hook Arm. Lake Sakakawea marks the maximum southwest extent of glaciation during the ice age. The lake is located within the counties of: Dunn, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Mountrail, and Williams.