Ben-Way Lake

Like other long, slender lakes in the upper Elk River Chain of Lakes, Ben–Way Lake is shallow near its inlet and deeper toward the outlet end of the lake. This is likely the result of the ‘upstream’ end gradually filling with sediments that wash in from the inlet river. 

There are large expanses of wetland at the northwestern end of Ben–Way Lake (where it is fed by the Intermediate River from Wilson Lake) and the southern end of the lake (where it empties through the Green River into Hanley Lake). The limited development in these areas helps protect the lake’s water quality and preserve aquatic plant and animal life.

Ogletree Creek is a small tributary that enters Ben–Way Lake near the lake’s outlet. Due to the amount of sediment transported by the creek, a sand delta has formed at its mouth. Sediments naturally wash into creeks, but the process is often accelerated by landscape development. Eroding soils from construction sites, foot paths, and road-stream crossings are examples of sediment sources that occur following landscape development.

Ben–Way Lake supports a healthy warm-water fish community that includes northern pike, black crappie, yellow perch, yellow bullhead, black bullhead, smallmouth bass, walleye, Iowa darter, johnny darter, bluntnose minnow, common shiner, bluegill, cisco, rock bass, pumpkinseed, longnose gar, and white sucker.