Beech Hill Pond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beech Hill Pond |
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| Beech Hill Pond Lake | |
Beech Hill Pond
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 Beech Hill Pond
Location in Maine
Beech Hill Pond
Location in the United States
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| Coordinates | 44°41′N 68°28′W / 44.69°N 68.46°W |
| Primary inflows | Middle Brook |
| Primary outflows | Beech Hill Stream |
| Max. length | 4.5 mi (7.2 km) |
| Max. width | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) |
| Max. depth | 104 ft (32 m) |
| Water volume | 322×106 cu ft (9.1 hm3) |
| Shore length1 | 12.1 mi (19.5 km) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Beech Hill Pond is a beautiful lake located in Otis, a town in Hancock County, Maine, in the United States. It's a pretty big lake, about 4.5 miles long and half a mile wide. At its deepest point, it goes down 104 feet! Many kinds of fish, like trout and salmon, live here. You might also spot amazing birds like bald eagles and loons near the water.
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Exploring Beech Hill Pond
This lovely pond is found close to Maine State Route 180. It's also not far from the town of Ellsworth, Maine. Several small streams, including Middle Brook, flow into the pond. The water then flows out through Beech Hill Stream.
Size and Depth of the Pond
Beech Hill Pond is about 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) long. Its shoreline stretches for about 12.1 miles (19.5 kilometers) all the way around. On average, the pond is about 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) wide. The water surface is usually about 199 feet (61 meters) above sea level.
The pond covers an area of about 1,351 acres. Its deepest point is 104 feet (32 meters), but on average, it's about 44 feet (13 meters) deep. The water temperature at the surface can be around 74°F (23°C). But if you go down 100 feet (30 meters), the water gets much colder, about 46°F (8°C).
Water Quality and Changes
Sometimes, Beech Hill Pond faces issues like erosion, which is when soil washes away. Also, some areas around the pond don't have enough natural plants, called a riparian buffer. These plants help protect the water.
Scientists measure how clear the water is using something called Secchi depth. This tells them how far down they can see into the water. For Beech Hill Pond, the Secchi depth has changed over the years. For example, in 1999, you could see about 13 meters (43 feet) deep. By 2007, that depth was about 8.5 meters (28 feet).
Along the Shoreline
The land around Beech Hill Pond is quite steep in many places. This makes for some interesting views!
The "Cold Cellar" Cave
On the western side of Beech Hill Pond, there's a cool cave located about 12 feet (3.7 meters) underground. This cave is special because ice has been found inside it as late as July! Because it stays so cold, people call it the "Cold Cellar."
Development Around the Pond
A lot of the shoreline around Beech Hill Pond has been developed. About 90 percent of the shore has buildings or other structures. This development has grown a lot since the early 1950s.
Different Areas of the Pond
Beech Hill Pond can be thought of as having five main parts:
- Turtle Cove
- Schoolhouse Cove
- Beech Hill Landing / Boatlanding Beach
- Cellarshore / Cellar Cove
- Beechwood Bay
History of the Pond
In 1983, a public boat landing was built on Beech Hill Pond. This made it easier for people to get their boats onto the water.
How the Pond Got Its Name
The pond is believed to be named after a nearby hill called ‘Beech Hill’. You can see this hill from most parts of the pond's shoreline. Beech Hill itself got its name because of the many beech trees growing on its slopes.
Ice on the Pond
People have been keeping track of when the ice melts on Beech Hill Pond for a long time. In 2012, the ice melted on March 21. This was the earliest it had melted since at least 1878! Before 2012, the earliest the ice had left was April 2 (in 2006). The latest it ever stayed was May 17 (in 1888).
Wildlife and Fun Activities
Beech Hill Pond is a great place for both wildlife and people who love the outdoors!
Fish in the Pond
Many different kinds of fish live in Beech Hill Pond. You can find salmon, rainbow trout, lake trout, brook trout, and smallmouth bass. While pickerel are rare, the number of white perch has been going down.
A very exciting event happened in 1958: the largest lake trout ever caught in Maine was reeled in from Beech Hill Pond! It weighed an amazing 31.5 pounds (14.3 kilograms). People also enjoy ice fishing on the lake during the winter.
Fishing Opportunities
Beech Hill Pond is known as a good spot for catching both coldwater and warmwater fish. Tom Seymour, an expert, even called it one of the "best bets for Maine lake trout." It's hard to fish from the shore, but you can have a lot of fun fishing from a boat out on the lake.
Birds of the Pond
Beech Hill Pond is also home to some beautiful birds. In 2007 and 2008, observers counted 14 adult loons and one baby loon on the pond. There are also two families of bald eagles that nest near the lake.
