Great East Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great East Lake |
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 Great
East Lake Location in Maine
Great
East Lake Location in New Hampshire
Great
East Lake Location in the United States
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| Location | Carroll County, New Hampshire; York County, Maine |
| Coordinates | 43°35′2″N 70°58′39″W / 43.58389°N 70.97750°W |
| Type | oligotrophic |
| Primary inflows | Copp Brook; Scribner Brook |
| Primary outflows | Salmon Falls River |
| Catchment area | 15.5 square miles (40 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5.5 mi (8.9 km) |
| Max. width | 1.1 mi (1.8 km) |
| Surface area | 1,825 acres (7.4 km2) |
| Average depth | 35 ft (11 m) Average transparency: 30 ft (9.2 m) |
| Max. depth | 102 ft (31 m) |
| Water volume | 59,993 acre⋅ft (74,000,000 m3) |
| Residence time | 3.3 years |
| Shore length1 | 18.02 mi (29.00 km) |
| Surface elevation | 571 ft (174 m) |
| Settlements | Wakefield, New Hampshire; Acton, Maine |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Great East Lake is a beautiful lake located in the United States. It's found in both New Hampshire (in Carroll County) and Maine (in York County). The lake is shared by the towns of Wakefield, New Hampshire and Acton, Maine. About 45% of the lake is in Acton, Maine, and 55% is in Wakefield, New Hampshire.
This large lake covers about 1,825 acres. It's the highest of five lakes that feed into the Salmon Falls River. The Salmon Falls River then flows into the Piscataqua River. Water leaves Great East Lake through a dam and an 800-foot canal called the Newichawannock Canal. This canal leads to Horn Pond, which then connects to the Salmon Falls River.
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Exploring Great East Lake
The widest part of Great East Lake is in New Hampshire. As you move east into Maine, the lake becomes narrower. This creates three smaller sections, known as the First, Second, and Third basins. Great East Lake is the biggest of all the lakes that feed the Salmon Falls River.
What Lives in the Lake?
Great East Lake is home to many different kinds of wildlife. It has 21 types of fish! Some of these fish include:
- Lake trout (also called togue)
- Rainbow trout
- Smallmouth bass
- Largemouth bass
- American eel
- Hornpout
- White perch
- Black crappie
- Chain pickerel
How Clean is the Water?
People have been checking the water quality of Great East Lake since 1974. They use special tools to measure how clear the water is and how much of certain chemicals are present. This helps them know if the water is healthy.
The measurements show that Great East Lake has very clean water. Both the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services agree that it's a high-quality lake.
The Lake's Surroundings
The area around Great East Lake is called its watershed. A watershed is all the land where water drains into a lake or river. The Great East Lake watershed covers about 9,939 acres. It's located in Acton, Maine, and Wakefield, New Hampshire.
Water from Great East Lake eventually flows into the Great Bay estuary and then into the Gulf of Maine.
What Does the Land Look Like?
Most of the land around Great East Lake is covered by forests (about 66%). About 9% of the area has buildings and homes. Many houses and camps are built close to the lake's edge. This is why it's important to protect the lake from pollution.
Protecting Great East Lake
Many groups work hard to keep Great East Lake clean and healthy.
Great East Lake Improvement Association (GELIA)
The Great East Lake Improvement Association (GELIA) started in 1932. This group is dedicated to protecting the lake, its wildlife, and its environment. They believe that teaching people about the lake is the best way to keep it safe.
Other Protection Programs
There are other programs that help protect the lake's excellent water quality.
- Boat Inspection Program: The NH Lake Host Program checks over 1,000 boats each year. They look for tiny plants that could harm the lake if they are brought in from other places.
- Weed Watchers Program: This program is similar to the Invasive Plants Patrollers Program in Maine. Volunteers look for and report any harmful plants that might be growing in the lake.
These efforts help make sure Great East Lake stays a beautiful and healthy place for everyone to enjoy!
