Oswego Lake Fishing, Size, Depth, And More

Oswego Lake is a naturally-occurring lake in Clackamas County. The town of Lake Oswego surrounds the lake. While this body of water is natural, it has been significantly altered in size, classifying it as a reservoir. The water and its surrounding area have a rich history with the native people and European settlers. Oswego Lake is a private lake for residents of Lake Oswego. But with the proper proof of residency, visitors can swim, fish, and boat. Discover all there is to know about Oswego Lake, including its location, history, size, recreational activities, and wildlife around the water. 

Oswego Lake Location

Oswego Lake is about eight miles south of Portland, Oregon, and completely surrounded by the city of Lake Oswego. The lake is a former channel of the Tualatin River, which is a tributary of the Willamette River. 

Oswego Lake is a Kolk depression lake, meaning it was formed by an underwater vortex that enlargened that old channel, eventually creating a natural lake. And the vortex resulted from the Missoula Floods, a cataclysmic glacial lake outburst that backed the Columbia River into the Willamette River. 

Due to artificial increases in the size of this natural body of water, Oswego Lake is now categorized as a reservoir in Northwest Oregon. The lake is now accessed by private homeowners in the area and has very little public access.

Lake Oswego History

Now that you know about its geologic history, let’s cover its early human history.

Oswego Lake was once called Waluga, which means “wild swan.” Its first name came from the native Clackamas people, who hunted swans and other birds on the water. The Clackamas people inhabited the Oregon region around the Clackamas River in the Willamette Valley. And Lewis and Clark encountered their villages in 1800.

European settlers arrived in the area around Lake Oswego in the mid-19th century and called the lake Sucker Lake for a specific type of fish in the water.

The founder of the city of Lake Oswego, Albert Alonzo Durham, built a sawmill near the lake’s outlet in 1847. He also built a flour and sawmill near Durham, Oregon. And he officially settled the land around the lake in 1850, after the Donation Land Claim Act was enacted that same year. He named the land Oswego after Oswego, New York. The lake wasn’t officially named until 1913.

The area began to boom in the late 1800s after the Oregon Iron Company purchased the land and made the town an industrial center. However, the company nearly collapsed by the early 20th century. There are still remains of an old iron furnace in George Rogers Park in Lake Owego.

Oswego Lake Size, Depth, and Water Level

The Lake was once smaller, but its size significantly increased after canals and a concrete dam were constructed and controlled flooding rose the water level by several feet, making a more appealing shoreline for homes to be built. 

Today, the lake is 431 acres with a shore length of nearly 12 miles. The lake’s max length is three miles and its max width is 0.3 miles. And its average depth is 26 feet, while its maximum depth is 55 feet.

Oswego Lake has a water volume of 10,055 acres per foot and a lake of 98.72’ above sea level. During the summer, the water’s temperature is a nice 80 degrees due to an aeration system.

Owego Lake Fishing, Boating, Camping, and Other Activities

Oswego Lake has very limited access to the public. Only residents around the lake and eligible easement members can exercise the lake access privileges. Easements provide access to boating, fishing, and swimming. There are also community, recreation, and yacht clubs around the water for members only. 

Easement members must also complete an application and pay fees to access the lake, which includes swimming, non-power boats, and power boats. 

If you get the chance to fish on Oswego Lake, you might catch largemouth bass, common carp, bluegill, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, black crappie, and Chinook salmon.

Due to the private residences around the lake, there is no public camping near the water.

Wildlife Around Lake Oswego

While Lake Oswego is a suburban city, it still boasts impressive wildlife. Here are some of the most common animals you might find in the area.

• Coyotes
• Possums
• Squirrels
• Raccoons
• Ducks
• Owls
• Skunks
• Geese
• Bats
• Deer