Lake Couchiching

Lake Couchiching
Lake Couchiching at Orillia
Lake Couchiching is located in Southern Ontario
Lake Couchiching
Lake Couchiching
Location Ontario, Canada
Coordinates 44°40′N 79°23′W
Basin countries Canada
Max. length 16 km (9.9 mi)
Max. width 5 km (3.1 mi)
Surface area 33.75 km2 (13.03 sq mi)
Max. depth 12 m (39 ft)
Surface elevation 219 m (719 ft)
Islands Chief, Horseshoe, Heron, Thistle, Bird, Nadie, Green, Portage, Ship, Shotgun, and Garnet
Settlements Orillia

Lake Couchiching ( KOO-chə-ching), from the Ojibwe gojijiing meaning "inlet", is a medium-sized lake in Central Ontario, Canada, separated from Lake Simcoe by a narrow channel.

Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching are popular spots for fishing in summer and ice fishing in winter.

Singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot paid homage to the lake in the song "Couchiching".

The Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs holds its annual conference on the shores of the lake every August. Camp Couchiching is also located near the lake.

Geography

Satellite image of the lake

The Trent-Severn Waterway enters Lake Simcoe by the Talbot River and exits this lake by the Severn River which empties into Georgian Bay.

The lake is 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) long and slightly less than 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) wide. The city of Orillia is located on the narrow channel connecting this lake with Lake Simcoe.

Water quality

In a 2012 study, the lake showed a microalgae density of 2.4 × 10^7/cm^2, with a high species diversity. The lake showed low total phosphorus and high organic carbon content, when compared to Lake Simcoe.

See also