Underwater geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles were found at West Thumb and Mary and Sedge Bays. Prior to this finding, the deepest spot in the lake was thought to be 320 feet (97.5 m) at West Thumb. With a small submersible robot, the researchers found a canyon just east of Stevenson Island that was 390 feet (119 m) deep. Figuratively, if one could pour all the water out of Yellowstone Lake, what would be found on the bottom is similar to what is found on land in Yellowstone: geysers, hot springs, and deep canyons. Val Klump of the Center for Great Lakes Research and the University of Wisconsin has revolutionized the way we look at Yellowstone Lake. The elevation of the lake's north end does not drop substantially until LeHardys Rapids, so many consider those rapids to be the actual northern boundary of the lake. The lake currently drains north from its only outlet, the Yellowstone River, at Fishing Bridge. Lake trout, an illegally introduced, exotic species, is now found in Yellowstone Lake and threatens the existence of the native cutthroat trout. Scientists now believe that Yellowstone Lake once drained to the Pacific Ocean via Outlet Canyon and the Snake River, and that fish swam across the Continental Divide at Two Ocean Pass. How a Pacific Ocean fish was trapped in a lake that drains to the Atlantic puzzled experts for years. Yellowstone Lake has the largest population of wild cutthroat trout in North America. Survival time is estimated to be only 20 to 30 minutes in water at this temperature. Because of the extremely cold water, swimming is not recommended. Yellowstone Lake remains cold year-round, with an average water temperature of 41☏ (5☌). The lake usually thaws in late May or early June. Yellowstone Lake freezes over completely every winter in late December or early January, with ice thicknesses varying from a few inches to more than two feet. It is roughly 20 miles (32.2 km) long and 14 miles (22.5 km) wide, with 141 miles (227 km) of shoreline and a surface area of 132 square miles (342 km 2). Situated at 7,733 feet (2,357 m) above sea level, Yellowstone Lake is the largest high elevation lake (above 7,000 feet / 2,134 m) in North America.
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