Payette Lake is a natural lake in the western United States, located in west central Idaho at

McCall McCall is a Gaelic surname, of Irish and Scottish origin. Notable people with this surname include: * Andy McCall (footballer, born 1911) (1911–1979), Scottish footballer and manager *Andy McCall (footballer, born 1925) (1925–2014), Scottish f ...

. Formed by glacial activity, it is situated in the upper drainage basin of the Payette River, which drains into the

Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...

. Outflow from the lake at its southwest corner is regulated for irrigation purposes by a small dam completed in 1943. The normal maximum lake surface elevation of above sea level is attained in July; a normal drawdown of is completed by December. The lake's surface area and volume, excluding islands, are and , respectively; mean and maximum depths are and , respectively; and shoreline length is about . The principal tributary and outlet is the North Fork of the Payette River. The lake receives drainage from of heavily forested, mountainous terrain. Further south, the North Fork flows into

Lake Cascade Lake Cascade (formerly Cascade Reservoir), is a reservoir in the western United States, on the North Fork of the Payette River in Valley County, Idaho. Located in the Boise National Forest, it has a surface area of , and is the fourth largest la ...

, the reservoir behind Cascade Dam.

History

Prior to the arrival of Euro-American hunters in the 1830s, the area had been inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. The discovery of gold in 1862 in the upper drainage of Payette Lake prompted an influx of miners to the area. The townsite of

was established on the lake's southern shore in the 1880s. The area became more accessible in 1914 when a railroad and roads were extended to McCall, which was becoming a tourist destination for summer and winter recreation. In 1920, the Idaho State Land Board began leasing vacation homesites around Payette Lake. Increasing recreational demands led to the establishment of Brundage Mountain Ski Area and

Ponderosa State Park Ponderosa State Park is a public recreation area and state park occupying a peninsula in Payette Lake on the northeast edge of McCall in Valley County, Idaho, United States. The park's include a second unit, called North Beach, located north o ...

, both near McCall, in the 1960s. The large

Payette Lakes Club The Payette Lakes Club, at 1585 Warren Wagon Rd. in McCall, Idaho, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. It is a large ( in plan) three-story building which was built during 1914-15 and was "instrumental in the early deve ...

was said to be significant in supporting recreation in the area; it was built 1914–15, on a knoll overlooking the lake from the west, and served as an inn, casino, and Chautauqua center. It was surrounded by development of many small cabin lots. With accompanying pictures

In popular culture

In Idaho folklore, a sea serpent much like the Loch Ness Monster is said to live in the deep waters of Payette Lake; in 1954, the creature was given the name

Sharlie In Idaho folklore, Sharlie (Slimy Slim, The Twilight Dragon of Payette Lake) is the name given to a sea serpent much like the Loch Ness Monster that is believed by some to live in the deep alpine waters of Payette Lake near McCall, Idaho. The fir ...

References

External links

Payette Lake
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Geologic Map of McCall (with Payette Lake bathymetry)
{{authority control Lakes of Idaho Lakes of Valley County, Idaho