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USGS/Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Washington

USGS/WRD Monitoring Station

14240446 - Castle Lake near Mount St. Helens, WA -
(South Fork Castle Creek Lake East near Spirit Lake, WA)

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Station Information

14240446 - CASTLE LAKE NEAR MOUNT ST. HELENS, WA -
(SOUTH FORK CASTLE CREEK LAKE EAST NEAR SPIRIT LAKE, WA)
(Office Name: CLE) 
Latitude (degrees, minutes, and seconds) ......  461536
Longitude (degrees, minutes, and seconds) .....  1221627
State Code ....................................  53
County Code ...................................  059
County Name ...................................  Skamania
Basin Name ....................................  Lower Cowlitz
Hydrologic Unit Code ..........................  17080005
Drainage Area (square miles) ..................  1.3*
Gage Datum (feet, above sea level) ............  2579.90**


Location ...................... SE/SW Sec.14, T.9 N., R.4 E.,
				Mount St. Helens National Monument,
				on right bank at outflow of Castle Lake,
				5.0 mi north by northwest of the 
				northwest edifice of Mount St. Helens
				(Toutle Glacier).
                                 -- (Water-Data Report WA-94-1)


----Period(s) of Record----
October 1993 to current year

 * at spillway entrance, prior to the volcanic eruption drainage area is unknown
** U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bench marks

Site History and Remarks

As a result of the collapse of the north face of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980, a debris avalanche blocked the flow of South Fork Castle Creek forming Castle Lake. Castle Lake would have overtopped the blockage in late 1981 or early 1982. Overtopping most probably would have resulted in a quick release of lake waters as a result of rapid erosion of the blockage. Serious flooding probably would have resulted from the breakout of Castle Lake. As a result, the level of Castle Lake was stabilized with the construction of a spillway in 1981. -- (Water-Data Report WA-94-1)

August 1998 - Castle Lake #2 added, near Castle Lake DH3 Piezometer. -- Office communication, K.Spicer

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11/25/02, Lyn Topinka