Belgrade Lakes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids East Pond |
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 East Pond
Location in Maine
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| Location | Maine |
| Coordinates | 44°38′N 69°47′W / 44.633°N 69.783°W |
| Max. length | 2.9 mi (4.7 km) |
| Surface area | 1,717 acres (695 ha) |
| Max. depth | 27 feet (8.2 m) |
| Water volume | 27,307 acre⋅ft (33,683,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 263 ft (80 m) |
| North Pond | |
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North Pond
Location in Maine
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| Location | Maine |
| Coordinates | 44°38′N 69°51′W / 44.633°N 69.850°W |
| Max. length | 3 mi (4.8 km) |
| Surface area | 2,531 acres (1,024 ha) |
| Max. depth | 20 feet (6.1 m) |
| Water volume | 1,662 acre⋅ft (2,050,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 253 ft (77 m) |
| Long Pond | |
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Long Pond
Location in Maine
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| Location | Kennebec County |
| Coordinates | 44°32′N 69°54′W / 44.533°N 69.900°W |
| Max. length | 7.2 mi (11.6 km) |
| Surface area | 2,557 acres (1,035 ha) |
| Max. depth | 106 ft (32 m) |
| Water volume | 73,165 acre⋅ft (90,248,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 237 ft (72 m) |
The Belgrade Lakes are a group of seven lakes in Maine, near the town of Belgrade, Maine. These lakes are connected, forming a chain where water flows from one to the next. The water starts in East Pond, then goes to North Pond, then to Great Pond, Long Pond, and finally to Messalonskee Lake. From Messalonskee Lake, the water flows into the Kennebec River at Waterville.
The Belgrade Lakes are a very popular spot for fun activities. People love to visit for fishing, boating, and swimming. Many homes have also been built along the shorelines. These homes are often for people who work in nearby cities like Waterville and Augusta.
Contents
Exploring the Belgrade Lakes
The Belgrade Lakes chain includes several important bodies of water. Each lake has its own unique features and plays a role in the overall system.
East Pond: The Starting Point
East Pond is the first lake in the Belgrade chain. It's like the "headwater" or beginning of the flow. The southern part of East Pond is in Oakland. The northern part is in Smithfield. Water from the north end of East Pond flows west for about 1 mile (1.6 km) into North Pond.
Sometimes, since the 1990s, East Pond has experienced "algal blooms." This is when tiny water plants grow very quickly. These blooms usually happen for about a week in June and then again during the last month of summer.
North Pond: The Shallowest Lake
North Pond is located where the towns of Smithfield, Mercer, and Rome meet. It is the shallowest lake in the entire Belgrade chain. Several small streams flow into North Pond, including Sucker Brook, Clark Brook, Leech Brook, Bog Brook, and Pattee Brook. The water from East Pond also flows into North Pond.
There is a public area where people can launch their boats near where Bog Brook flows in. The water from the south end of North Pond flows out through Great Meadow Stream. This stream then travels for about 2 miles (3.2 km) before reaching the northwestern part of Great Pond.
Great Pond: The Largest Lake
At 8,239 acres (3,334 ha), Great Pond is the biggest lake in the Belgrade Lakes chain. It forms the border between Rome to the north and Belgrade to the south. Two streams, Rome Trout Brook and Robbins Mill Stream, flow into the northern part of Great Pond.
Water from Great Pond flows west for about 1 kilometre (1,100 yd) into Long Pond. Even though Great Pond is much deeper than East Pond and North Pond, its water gets warm all the way through during the summer. This makes it less suitable for fish like native trout or salmon that prefer cooler water.
Long Pond: A Lake with Two Basins
Long Pond has two main sections, or "basins." The northern part of Long Pond, located in Rome, is about as deep as Great Pond. However, the southern part, which borders Belgrade and Mount Vernon, is much deeper. This deeper southern basin has cooler water.
There's a public boat launch area at the south end of the narrow section that connects the two basins. Many streams feed into Long Pond. Whittier Brook and Beaver Brook bring water from Whittier Pond, Beaver Pond, Watson Pond, Round Pond, Kidder Pond, and McIntire Pond into the northern basin. Stony Brook and Ingham Stream bring water from Moose Pond and Ingham Pond into the southern basin. Smaller streams like Graveyard Brook and Sandy Cove Stream also flow into the eastern shores of the southern basin.
The water from the south end of Long Pond flows out through Belgrade Stream. It then travels about 9 miles (14 km) eastward to the south end of Messalonskee Lake.
Messalonskee Lake: The Deepest Lake
Messalonskee Lake is the deepest of the Belgrade Lakes, reaching 113 feet (34 m) down. It is also the second largest lake in the chain. Like the deeper southern part of Long Pond, Messalonskee Lake has areas of cold water habitat.
The water from the north end of Messalonskee Lake flows out through Messalonskee Stream. This stream then travels for about 10 miles (16 km) until it reaches the Kennebec River.
Smaller Ponds: Part of the Family
Two other ponds, McGrath Pond (486-acre (197 ha)) and Salmon Pond (562-acre (227 ha)), also flow into the east side of Great Pond. They have many homes built along their shores and are sometimes considered the sixth and seventh Belgrade Lakes.
Fishing in the Lakes
The Belgrade Lakes are a great place for fishing. They are home to fish like chain pickerel, white perch, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass.
Years ago, people mostly fished for brook trout in the streams and Atlantic salmon in the deeper parts of the lakes. However, the streams didn't have enough good places for these fish to lay their eggs and for young fish to grow. To try and help the salmon population, hatchery fish were added. But this caused a big drop in the number of rainbow smelt, which were the main food for the native salmon.
Later, brown trout were introduced. These fish can handle warmer lake water better. Some people also illegally introduced other fish like northern pike and black crappie to create new fishing opportunities.
Over time, more homes built along the shore have affected the lakes. This has led to a process called "eutrophication." This means there are too many nutrients in the water, which can cause too much algae to grow. When this algae dies, it uses up oxygen in the deeper parts of the lake, which can be bad for fish.
