LAKE MANAGEMENT REPORTS 

 3. LINCOLN LAKES NEAR LINCOLN, ILLINOIS 



David H. Thompson and George W. Bennett 

 Illinois Natural History Survey- 

 Lincoln Lakes are a series of water-filled gravel pits In the floodplaln of Salt 

 Creek, about a mile south of Lincoln, Illinois, They have been dug since 1905 by the 

 Lincoln Sand and Gravel Company. The water area of these lakes Is now about 100 acres. 

 They are Irregular In shape, and most of the wide-waters are connected by deep channels. 

 The gravel company has developed a bathing beach, cottage sites and other recreational 

 facilities for the general <'.se of the community. At the present time, Lincoln Lakes 

 constitute about one-half of the total water area of Logan County, In central Illinois, 

 and furnish the most convenient outdoor recreational spot for the residents of Lincoln, 

 a city of 13,000. 



The water of Lincoln Lakes Is clear and attractive for bathing, boating and fish- 

 ing. The lakes are partially Inundated at Intervals of one to several years by flood 

 water from Salt Creek. At such times the turbidity Is Increased, although the turbid 

 condition remains for only a short period. As will be shown later, hook-and-llne fish 

 of sizes attractive to fishermen make up about 19 per cent of the total weight of fish 

 In these lakes. Furthermore, an unusually large proportion of these fish are bass of 

 leirge size. These fish do not take the hook readily, however, and fishing In Lincoln 

 Lakes Is considered poor. 



Early In 1938, the gravel company permitted the Logan County Sportsmen's Club to 

 use a small arm of water as an experimental area for the general Improvement of the re- 

 mainder of the lakes. This arm was separated from the main lakes by a levee. Most of 

 this report deals with work carried on In this small area, which will be called Sports- 

 men's Lake, 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The Lincoln Sand and Gravel Company Is Interested In further developing the 

 recreational uses of Lincoln Lakes and has given us unusually complete Information. 

 The Logan County Sportsmen's Club, and especially those members primarily Interested In 

 fishing, have given a great deal of their time and effort In carrying out the work on 

 Sportsmen's Lake. Whatever benefits may arise from this work are to a great extent the 

 result of their continued Interest In the area. Many members have taken an active part 

 In the work, but we should like to mention In particular Harry A. Gehlbach, Reginald 

 Clark, Harold Klemm and Walter Spatz. A large part of the levee was built by the Na- 

 tional Youth Administration under the direction of Herman Dammerman. At the time the 

 census was made, we were helped by Dr. A. B. Taylor and Harry Q. Klmple of the Univer- 

 sity of Illinois. Dr. Donald F. Hansen, of the Natural History Survey, helped through- 

 out the census of Sportsmen's Lake and furnished the Information on the rate of growth 

 of the white crapples of Lincoln Lakes from his manuscript on the growth of the white 

 crapple In Illinois. The State Department of Conservation assisted with the work pre- 

 vious to the census. Louis A. Krumholz, graduate assistant of the Natural History 

 Survey, drew the maps and charts used In this report. 



DESCRIPTION OF LINCOLN LAKES 



Lincoln Lakes have a water area of 92.5 acres. (This does not Include a new pond 

 of about 10 acres dug since 1936.) The total shoreline Is 7.3 miles. The maximum 

 depth Is reported to be 42 feet. The average depth Is about 15 feet, and only 5 or 10 

 per cent of the water area is less than 5 feet in depth. A map of these water-filled 

 gravel pits Is shown in fig. 8. Digging has proceeded without interruption since 1905. 

 The approximate dates of digging are shown on the map. The northwest water areas are 

 oldest, and those of the southeast newest. _^ 



This paper is a contribution from the Section of Aquatic Biology. 



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