The American archives are full of tales of Lewis and Clark's adventures. After following the Missouri River through the Northwest territory, into the area now known as the state of North Dakota, they were joined by a Canadian fur trader and his Native American wife, Sakakawea; her name is sometimes spelled Sacagawea or Sacajawea. Sakakawea, who was of Shoshone-Hidatsa heritage, helped Lewis and Clark to travel safely through the west, and this beautiful lake is named in her honor. An enormous reservoir 178 miles long and 6 miles wide, it provides hydroelectric power by harnessing the strength of the broad Missouri river, plus it is an important habitat for fish, birds, and wildlife. In addition, it's a great place for all kinds of water sports, including scuba diving.
Diving Lake Sakakawea: Highlights and Features
During years when rain and snowfall are abundant, Lake Sakakawea offers maximum depth at about 200 feet in the old riverbed in its center; and a depth of about 170 feet throughout much of the rest of the lake. During periods of drought, the lake is as much as 30 feet shallower.
The best diving is near Lake Sakakawea State Park, which features a marina and a boat ramp. Located just west of Garrison Dam, which is a full half-mile thick, this area features huge boulders and a sloping wall that eventually flattens out at a depth of about 100 feet. This area is well sheltered and is a great place to work on skills.
Visibility at Lake Sakakawea varies seasonally, usually worsening after rains and when high winds cause the water to become more turbulent. At its worst, the visibility is at zero; in mid-summer though, it is often quite good at about 30 feet.
Temperatures vary here as well; during the winter months the water is near freezing, and even during the middle of summer, it's rare to experience temperatures much higher than the 60's. There is a thermocline, and if you stop to remember that the water coming into the lake comes from mountain snow pack, albeit far away, you'll realize just why it is so chilly.
Lake Sakakawea is home to a number of different kinds of fish, including schooling carp, bass, and walleye, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout, plus perch and crappie, just to name a few. Probably the most sought-after residents are the paddlefish, which are sometimes seen along the dam face, but which usually tend to congregate near the tail race, where the hydroelectric plant's turbines discharge. These bottom feeders like to hang out here because smaller fish are often sucked up into the turbines and spit out after being chopped to bits.
While you might question the wisdom of entering the tailrace, it's a good spot for drift diving. To enjoy a drift, you'll be dropped in a safe distance from the turbines' outflow tubes, where maximum depth is just 17 feet. After this, you simply float along as your boat follows your flag! The tail race was created to transition water from the dam back to the river's natural streambed, and it is a good place to view lingcod, salmon, and suckers, plus lots of artifacts left over from the dam's construction. Current varies from 1.5 to 4 knots; and, even though the tail race is shallow, the water is cold.
No matter which portion of Lake Sakakawea you plan to enjoy, be sure to check in with one of the local dive shops, which offer trips to the dam face and tail race, as well as to the deepwater arm of the lake, where spearfishing is popular. Shops from neighboring South Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota often offer organized multi-day trips to the lake. Petrified wood and rock formations, as well as fossils, can be found on the lake bed, and there are many shallow bays where tall aquatic grasses shelter fish, turtles, frogs, crayfish, and other creatures. During the winter, ice diving is possible, and there are all sorts of accommodations available. Like an oasis in the middle of the open prairie, Lake Sakakawea has something for everyone.