upper and lower end of lake

[sek basser]

Could someone tell me what people are talking about when they refer to the upper or lower end of a lake?

[MFBAB]

This is usually referring to manmade reservoirs.

The upper end is where the main tributaries enter the lake, usually the shallower end.

The lower would be the end near the dam, deeper water. 

[whoopbazz]

Could also mean the north or south ends.  Or in a lake with one common launching area...upper means farthest from the launch.

[paangler13]

MF has it right, I always remember upper end, upstream; lower end, down stream.

Jim

[WRB]

Generally refers to up stream or down stream, where the water enters a lake being upper end and exits the lake being lower end. However it can also mean where a big bay or river arm enters the main lake being lower end and the upper shallow end being the upper end. Big natural lakes it can simply mean north end or south end, north being the upper end.

WRB

[Hellbenderman]

Are you guys sure about this? I always thought the upper end of the lake was where the rich people fished and the lower end was where I fished.

[IwillChooseFreeWill]

I understood it to relate to north/south which also tends to be the normal flow of most lakes...

Usually in lakes with more than one main river coming in, they change their terminology to "eastern leg", western leg, and then usually lower end.

Bet they would have a tough time classifying a lake here that has 3 arms coming in with 1 or 2 inlet creeks each, and the end by the dam is actually east by southeast  ;D

[RoLo]

Natural lakes and manmade lakes both comprise an "inlet" and "outlet".

To my knowledge, the "upper end" of any lake, be it natural or artificial,

refers to the headwater source even if it lies in the southern hemisphere.

Conversely, the "lower end" of a lake refers to the tailwaters, irrespective of compass bearing.

Roger

[MFBAB]

A good example is KY lake, the TN river is flowing North in this section, not South.  The Upper end of the lake (Headwaters) on KY lake is to the South towards the Pickwick Dam tailrace, the lower (KY Lake Dam) end is to the North in KY. It always seems bass ackards when I fish there but that is the meaning of upper and lower end. 

[sek basser]

Thanks for the info!