Kawishiwi Watershed
Pictured below is a drawn representation of the Kawishiwi Watershed. For an accurate, detailed map of the watershed click on Detailed Map.
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The Kawishiwi Watershed drains an area of 1,200 square miles which
flows through various rivers and lakes before exiting at the Winton
hydroelectric dam. The primary source of inflow to the White Iron Chain
is from Birch Lake, the outflow of which is controlled by a dam. Other
sources are the Bear Island River, draining 69 square miles into White
Iron Lake and the North Kawishiwi River into Farm Lake.
During low flow conditions, i.e., less than 2,000 cubic feet per second
(cfs), the elevation at the hydroelectric dam, Garden, Farm, South Farm
and White Iron Lakes are an essentially flat pool elevation of 1,388 feet
above sea level. Above 2,000 cfs the levels in White Iron Lake begin to
increase significantly as the flow increases due mainly to the
constriction at the Silver Rapids Bridge. At a flow of 16,000 cfs there
was a difference in elevation of 7.4 feet between White Iron Lake and
the dam at Winton.
Chain of Lakes Info:
White Iron Lake
Area: 3,429 acres
Maximum Depth: 47 feet
Mean Depth: 19.4 feet
Shoreline Length: 26 miles
Farm Lake
Area: 1,328 acres
Maximum Depth: 56 feet
Mean Depth: 30 feet (est)
Shoreline Length: 16 miles
Garden Lake
Area: 670 acres
Maximum Depth: 55 feet
Mean Depth: 20 feet (est)
Shoreline Length: 13 miles