Otter Tail Lake
Otter Tail Lake is a 21-square-mile (54 km2) lake in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the largest lake in Otter Tail County.
Geography
Adjoining the city of Ottertail, it is a part of the Otter Tail River chain of lakes. Upstream from the lake are Big Pine, Little Pine and Rush lakes, while downstream are East Lost, West Lost and Deer lakes. The maximum depth is 120 feet (37 m), but 57% of the lake is 15 feet (4.6 m) deep or less. The shore of the lake and at least the shallower areas are composed of sand and gravel. The water clarity is 10.5 feet (3.2 m), which is considered good. A prominent feature of Otter Tail is the "point" which essentially divides the lake into eastern and western halves.
Otter Tail lake is ringed with a tall, mostly deciduous tree line. In general, the tree line goes back around 300 yards from the shore and acts as a windbreak, keeping the shoreline calm compared to the center of the lake.
The waters of Otter Tail Lake ultimately flow north into Hudson Bay through the Red River of the North.
Otter Tail Lake (Ontario)
Otter Tail Lake is a lake of Ontario, Canada.
See also
References
Coordinates: 48°57′14″N 93°42′40″W / 48.9539948°N 93.7112283°W / 48.9539948; -93.7112283
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Otter Tail County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 57,303. Its county seat is Fergus Falls. The county was formed in 1858 and organized in 1868.
Otter Tail County comprises the Fergus Falls, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Native Americans used the survey area for hunting and fishing and had permanent dwelling sites. Two Native American tribes were in constant conflict. The Dakota (Sioux) were being pushed from their home area by the Ojibwa (Chippewa) during the late 18th century and early 19th century. Burial mounds and artifacts can still be found. Some of the oldest remains of Native Americans were found near Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. The remains, nicknamed Minnesota Girl, were dated at about 11,000 B.C. (Otter Tail County Historical Museum).
The first white men to enter the county were French and British fur traders. Efforts were made to set up trading posts on the Leaf Lakes and Otter Tail Lake. In the late 19th century, most of the towns were built along the railroad lines. Lumber and agriculture were the major industries in the county at that time. The pine and hardwood forests, transportation system, and markets were instrumental in the development of Fergus Falls into a lumber center.
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