| Wazee Lake | |
|---|---|
 A ramp leading down to one of the scuba diving accesses at Wazee Lake. | |
  Wazee Lake  Wazee Lake | |
| Location | Brockway,Jackson County, east ofBlack River Falls, Wisconsin |
| Coordinates | 44°17′24″N90°43′23″W / 44.290°N 90.723°W /44.290; -90.723 |
| Type | Artificial |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 4,000 ft (1,200 m) |
| Max. width | 1,800 ft (550 m) |
| Surface area | 146 acres (0.59 km2) |
| Max. depth | 355 ft (108 m) |
| Surface elevation | 900 ft (270 m) |
Wazee Lake is alake east ofBlack River Falls, Wisconsin, in the town ofBrockway,Jackson County,Wisconsin,United States.[1] The name "Wazee" means "tall pine" in theHo-Chunk language. The artificial lake is the deepest lake within the state ofWisconsin, with a maximum depth of approximately 355 feet (108 m). The man-made lake was formed after the site was used as aquarry fortaconite mining between the mid-1960s through April 1983. The quarry produced about 850,000 tons of taconite pellets each year. The mine closed in 1983 as a result of a crash of the domestic steel markets in the United States. When the mine was in operation, pumps removed about 800 US gallons (3,000 L; 670 imp gal) of water per minute from the quarry. Once these pumps were shut down, the quarry began filling with water.
The lake is now part of a county park known asWazee Lake Recreation Area. The lake is a primescuba diving destination because of its deep, clear water.[2] Visibility averages between 30 and 40 feet (9.1 and 12.2 m) during the summer months. There are also visible remains of mining operations underwater, such as roadways used for hauling equipment. Some features have been added to the lake, such as underwater platforms for training divers and fish cribs to improve habitat for the fish. Fish species within the lake includerainbow,brook, andbrown trout,bluegills,suckers,catfish,walleye,warmouth, andsmallmouth bass.
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