Flagstaff Lake (Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flagstaff |
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Flagstaff Lake seen from Mount Bigelow
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 Flagstaff
Location in Maine
Flagstaff
Location in the United States
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| Location | Northwest Somerset, Somerset County, and Eustis, Franklin County, Maine, US |
| Coordinates | 45°11′38.9″N 70°18′52.4″W / 45.194139°N 70.314556°W |
| Type | eutrophic, reservoir, Man Made Lake, Its a flooded village, once known as Flagstaff Village. |
| Primary inflows | North Branch Dead River; South Branch Dead River |
| Primary outflows | Dead River |
| Catchment area | 516 square miles (1,340 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 20,300 acres (8,200 ha) |
| Average depth | 18 feet (5.5 m) |
| Max. depth | 48 feet (15 m) |
| Water volume | 261,365 acre⋅ft (322,389,000 m3) |
| Residence time | 6 months |
| Shore length1 | 147.2 miles (236.9 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,146 feet (349 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Flagstaff Lake is a large lake in Maine, United States. You can find it in Somerset County and Franklin County, Maine. It's a special lake because it was created by people! Long ago, it was a smaller natural lake.
Two rivers, the North Branch Dead River and South Branch Dead River, flow into Flagstaff Lake. They then join to form the Dead River. This river eventually flows into the Kennebec River.
The lake covers a huge area, about 20,300 acres. That's like more than 15,000 football fields! It's not a very deep lake, usually around 18 feet. But its deepest spot is about 48 feet.
Even though it's a big lake, some parts can be quite shallow and marshy. If you want to explore these areas, a canoe or kayak is best. Sometimes, you might even need to wade through the water!
People love to visit Flagstaff Lake for outdoor fun. The beautiful Bigelow Mountain Range looks over the lake from its southern side. This makes it a great spot for hiking, fishing, and enjoying nature. You can catch fish like landlocked salmon and brook trout here.
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How Flagstaff Lake Was Made
Flagstaff Lake became much bigger in 1950. This happened when a large structure called the Long Falls Dam was built. The dam was built across the Dead River. This turned the natural lake into a reservoir. A reservoir is like a giant storage tank for water.
Why the Dam Was Built
The main reason for building the dam was to help make hydropower electricity. Hydropower uses the force of moving water to create power. The dam helps control how much water flows from the Dead River into the Kennebec River. This steady flow of water is then used by other power plants downstream.
In the past, rivers were also used to transport logs. This was called a "river drive." Logs were floated down the river to mills. The dam helped control the water flow for these log drives too. But today, trucks are used instead of river drives.
A Big Debate
Building the dam was a big deal and caused a lot of discussion. This started way back in 1923. Two important people, Walter Wyman, who led a power company, and Percival Proctor Baxter, a state leader, had different ideas.
When the dam was finished, it flooded several small towns and villages. These places, like Flagstaff, Bigelow, Dead River, and Carrying Place, are now underwater. It's like a hidden village beneath the lake!
About the Dam
The Long Falls Dam is 45 feet tall and over 1,300 feet long. It's made of concrete and earth. It has special gates that can open and close to control the water. Even though the dam helps make electricity, it doesn't make power itself. Instead, it helps eight other power projects downstream on the Kennebec River. It also helps control floods.
Images for kids
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A 37th Squadron F-102 like the one in Flagstaff Lake.
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The other aircraft destroyed by the collision was similar to this T-33A.
