Cooper Lake (New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cooper Lake |
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from Twin Mountain
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 Cooper Lake
Location in New York
Cooper Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ulster County, New York |
| Coordinates | 42°03′36″N 74°10′41″W / 42.060°N 74.178°W |
| Type | natural lake, reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | approx. 150 acres (61 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 1,080 ft (330 m) |
Cooper Lake, located near Lake Hill in the Town of Woodstock, Ulster County, New York, is the biggest natural lake in the Catskill Mountains. Over the years, it has been made a bit larger. This is because it serves as the main reservoir for the nearby City of Kingston and the Town of Ulster.
The lake stores water that it receives from its 8.6-square mile (22.4 km²) drainage basin. A drainage basin is the area of land where all the water drains into a specific lake or river. The cities also pipe in extra water from Mink Hollow Stream to the lake.
Cooper Lake: A Vital Water Source
Cooper Lake is very important for providing drinking water to many people. It holds about 1.2 billion US gallons (4.5 million cubic meters) of water each year. This provides an average of 4.6 million US gallons (17.4 million liters) of water every day to Kingston and Ulster.
Rules and Ownership
To keep the water clean and safe for drinking, some activities are not allowed at Cooper Lake. For example, swimming and fishing are prohibited. This helps protect the quality of the water for everyone who uses it.
The City of Kingston Water Department owns Cooper Lake and the land around it. They are responsible for managing the lake and ensuring the water supply for the cities.
