Baker Lake (Washington)

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Baker Lake

| image = BakerRiverWashington.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Baker Lake viewed from the eastern slope of the valley, looking southwest

| image_bathymetry =

| alt_bathymetry =

| caption_bathymetry =

| location =

| coords = {{coord|48|43|44|N|121|37|45|W|region:US_type:waterbody|display =inline,title}}

| type = Reservoir

| inflow = Baker River, Swift Creek, Shannon Creek, Noisy Creek, Park Creek, Anderson Creek, Boulder Creek, Sandy Creek

| outflow = Baker River

| catchment = {{convert|215|sqmi|km2}}

| basin_countries = United States

| date-built =

| date-flooded =

| length = {{convert|9|mi|km}}

| width = {{convert|0.8|mi|km}} max

| area = {{convert|4800|acre|km2}}

| depth =

| max-depth =

| volume = {{convert|285000|acre.ft|m3}}

| residence_time =

| shore =

| elevation = {{convert|705|ft|m}}

| frozen =

| islands = 3, unnamed

| cities =

| pushpin_map = Washington#USA

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of Baker Lake in Washington, USA.

| pushpin_map_caption =

| website =

| reference =

}}

Baker Lake is a lake in northern Washington state in the United States.{{Cite gnis|id=1516055|name=Baker Lake|entrydate=1979-09-10|accessdate=2011-01-17}} The lake is situated in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and Baker River valley southwest of North Cascades National Park and is fed by the Baker River along with numerous smaller tributaries. The lake is approximately {{convert|10|mi|km}} north of the town of Concrete, Washington.

The lake covers an area of {{convert|4800|acre|km2}} and holds up to {{convert|285000|acre.ft|m3}} of water. Water levels fluctuate an average of {{convert|39|ft|m}} annually.{{cite web

|url=http://www.pse.com/Hydro%20Licensing/baker/docs/ICD/icd33water.pdf

|title=3.3 Water Quantity

|publisher=Puget Sound Energy

|work=Baker River Project, FERC No. 2150

|date=March 2002

|accessdate=2011-01-17

}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Formerly a smaller natural body of water, it was enlarged and raised {{convert|312|ft|m}} in 1959 in conjunction with the construction of the Upper Baker Dam, a concrete gravity hydroelectric dam capable of generating 91 megawatts.

{{cite web

|url=http://www.pse.com/siteCollectionDocuments/mediakit/045_Baker_Hydro.pdf

|title=Baker River Hydroelectric Project

|publisher=Puget Sound Energy

|date=October 2007

|accessdate=2011-01-17

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104041640/http://www.pse.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/mediaKit/045_Baker_Hydro.pdf

|archivedate=4 January 2011

|url-status=dead

|df=dmy-all

}}

File:Mount Baker from Baker Lake.jpg as seen from Baker Lake]]

Baker Lake is a popular recreational area for fishing, camping, and boating and attracts local residents from adjacent Whatcom and Skagit counties. The Baker Lake area is also home to Swift Creek Campground which features 55 private campsites for tents or RVs, 2 group site as well as a boat ramp and marina. The campground can be found about halfway up on Mt. Baker Lake across from Park Creek. Formerly known as Baker Lake Resort and Tarr's Resort before that.{{cite web|title=Swift Creek Campground|url=http://roughin.it/campgrounds/washington/swift-creek-campground/|publisher=Roughin.It|accessdate=20 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324134715/http://roughin.it/campgrounds/washington/swift-creek-campground/|archive-date=24 March 2012|url-status=dead}} It lies entirely within Mount Baker National Recreation Area.