Lake Winnebago

Lake Winnebago
From space on March 28, 2022 (partial ice cover)
Location of Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, USA.
Location of Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, USA.
Lake Winnebago
Location of Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, USA.
Location of Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, USA.
Lake Winnebago
LocationWinnebago, Calumet, and Fond du Lac counties,
Wisconsin
Coordinates44°00′45″N 88°25′03″W / 44.01250°N 88.41750°W / 44.01250; -88.41750
Primary inflowsWolf River, Fox River
Primary outflowsFox River
Basin countriesUnited States
Max. length30 miles (50 km)
Max. width10 miles (15 km)
Surface area131,939 acres (206.155 sq mi; 533.94 km2)
Average depth15.5 ft (4.7 m)
Max. depth21 ft (6.4 m)
Surface elevationabout 746 feet (227 m)
above sea level
SettlementsOshkosh, Fond du Lac, Neenah and Menasha
From space on March 28, 2022

Lake Winnebago (Menominee: Wenepekōw Nepēhsæh,[1] Ojibwe: Wiinibiigoo-zaaga'igan, Oneida: kanyataláheleˀ[2]) is a shallow freshwater lake in the north central United States, located in east central Wisconsin. At 137,700 acres, it is the largest lake entirely within the state,[3] covering an area of about 30 miles by 10 miles with 88 miles of shoreline, an average depth of 15.5 feet, and a maximum depth of 21 feet.[4] It has many shallow reefs along the west shore and a drop-off type shoreline on the east.[4] There are several islands along the west shore.

The lake has two primary tributaries, the Wolf and Fox Rivers, which combine at Lake Butte des Morts. The Fox River flows east through Oshkosh and into Lake Winnebago at its west central shore, then flows out at the northwest shore, around Doty Island at Neenah-Menasha to Little Lake Butte des Morts. The river then flows northeast and empties into Green Bay and serves as part of the Fox-Wisconsin Waterway. Lake Winnebago is part of a larger system of lakes in Wisconsin known as the Winnebago Pool.

Cities on its shores include the aforementioned Oshkosh, Neenah, and Menasha, as well as Fond du Lac at the south shore. Municipal drinking water systems serving over 200,000 people draw directly from the lake, including systems serving the cities of Oshkosh, Neenah, Menasha, and Appleton.

  1. ^ Center for Menominee Language, Culture, and Art, Language Materials www.menomineelanguage.com/dictionaries-word-lists, Menominee Dictionary - English - Menominee Link (Archive) - Lake Winnebago Pg. 126
  2. ^ University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, Dictionary, "Lake Winnebago", Link
  3. ^ Lakes Archived 2008-09-16 at the Wayback Machine, United States Department of the Interior, Retrieved September 21, 2008
  4. ^ a b Folz, Dan (January 1989). "Fishing Lake Winnebago" (Document). Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.