AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

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LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK

Crater Lake National Park is located in the Southern Cascades, approximately 60 miles northwest of Klamath Falls and 70 miles northeast of Medford, Oregon. Crater Lake National Park is approximately 183,000 acres (286-square miles) encompassing Crater Lake, which is 13,760 acres. The park was established in 1902 to ensure the preservation of the lake and its natural surroundings. Crater Lake lies inside a caldera, or volcanic basin, created about 7,700 years ago when the 12,000-foot (3,658 meter) elevation Mount Mazama collapsed following a major eruption. The lake is 1,943 feet (592 meters) deep at its deepest point, the deepest lake in the United States and the seventh-deepest in the world. It is fed almost entirely by snowfall, which makes it one of the clearest lakes in the world.

Crater Lake National Park is surrounded by managed timberlands. The park is bounded on the northeast, south, and east by the Winema National Forest; on the north by the Umpqua National Forest; and on the northwest, west, and southwest by the Rogue River National Forest and the Sky Lakes Wilderness Area. In addition, the park adjoins Sun Pass State Forest and an 80-acre block of private land on the southeast corner.

Crater Lake National Park receives an average of 69 inches (175 cm) of precipitation a year and is known for its long winters and heavy snowfalls. The average seasonal accumulation of snow is 544 inches. The winter of 1932–33 provided 878 inches of snow, the highest recorded total to date. Snow on the ground of 14-foot depth is common by late winter. The greatest recorded accumulated snow depth in the park was 252 inches on 3 April 1983. Temperatures from January to March average 19 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) (-7°C) at night and 36°F (2°C) during the day. Temperatures from July to September average 40°F (4°C) at night and 70°F (21°C) during the day.