Torch Lake (Houghton County, Michigan)

E949306

Torch Lake in Houghton County, Michigan is a long, narrow, historically industrial lake on the Keweenaw Peninsula known for its copper mining legacy and distinctive turquoise-colored but contaminated waters.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf lake
natural water body
connectedTo Portage Lake (Michigan) NERFINISHED
Torch Lake Canal NERFINISHED
continent North America
country United States of America
surface form: United States
designatedAs Superfund site
environmentalIssue PCB contamination
arsenic contamination
copper contamination
heavy metal contamination
lead contamination
mercury contamination
fishConsumptionAdvisory yes
historicalUse copper ore processing
industrial waste disposal
industrialHistoryPeriod early 20th century
late 19th century
knownFor copper mining legacy
distinctive turquoise-colored water
industrial contamination
stamp sand deposits
length approximately 6.5 miles
locatedIn Houghton County, Michigan NERFINISHED
Keweenaw Peninsula NERFINISHED
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
maximumDepth approximately 115 feet
nearbyCity Dollar Bay, Michigan NERFINISHED
Hubbell, Michigan NERFINISHED
Lake Linden, Michigan NERFINISHED
Tamarack City, Michigan NERFINISHED
partOf Keweenaw copper mining district NERFINISHED
pollutionSource copper milling waste
smelter waste
stamp mill tailings
primaryInflow Trap Rock River NERFINISHED
primaryOutflow Torch Lake Canal NERFINISHED
recreation boating
fishing (with advisories)
region Lake Superior basin NERFINISHED
shape long and narrow
state Michigan (most of state)
surface form: Michigan
superfundListingYear 1986
superfundProgram United States Environmental Protection Agency Superfund NERFINISHED
surfaceArea approximately 2,700 acres
waterColor turquoise
waterColorCause fine stamp sands
suspended mineral particles
waterType freshwater lake

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Portage Lake (Michigan) connectedTo Torch Lake (Houghton County, Michigan)
Torch Lake Township, Michigan locatedOnBodyOfWater Torch Lake (Houghton County, Michigan)