Lake Francis (Murphy Dam) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Francis |
|
|---|---|
Lake Francis as seen from U.S. Route 3 along its northern shore
|
|
 Lake
Francis Location in New Hampshire
Lake
Francis Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Coos County, New Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 45°2′24″N 71°19′48″W / 45.04000°N 71.33000°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Etymology | Francis P. Murphy |
| Primary inflows | Connecticut River |
| Primary outflows | Connecticut River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5.4 mi (8.7 km) |
| Max. width | 1.3 mi (2.1 km) |
| Surface area | 1,934 acres (783 ha) |
| Average depth | 40 feet (12 m) |
| Max. depth | 82 feet (25 m) |
| Surface elevation | 1,379 ft (420 m) |
| Settlements | Pittsburg; Clarksville |
Lake Francis is a large reservoir located in northern New Hampshire, United States. A reservoir is like a big, artificial lake that stores water. This lake is part of the Connecticut River, which is a very important river in the region.
You can find Lake Francis in Coos County. It's situated just east of the village of Pittsburg. The lake also sits right on the border between Pittsburg and another town called Clarksville.
Contents
About Lake Francis
Lake Francis was created by a special structure called Murphy Dam. This dam was built in 1940. Its main purpose was to help control floods, which means it stops too much water from overflowing and causing damage.
The dam is made of earth and stands about 117-foot (36 m) tall. It is owned by the state's Department of Environmental Services. A company called TC Energy helps to operate the dam.
Naming the Lake
Both Lake Francis and Murphy Dam are named after a person! They honor Francis P. Murphy. He was the Governor of New Hampshire from 1937 to 1941.
Lake Size and Depth
Lake Francis is quite large. It covers almost 2,000 acres (8 km2) of land. That's a lot of space! The lake can hold a huge amount of water, about 131,375 acre-feet (162,049,000 m3).
When it comes to depth, the lake is about 40 feet (12 m) deep on average. But in some spots, it can be much deeper, reaching a maximum depth of 82 feet (25 m).
Fishing and Wildlife
Lake Francis is known as a "coldwater fishery." This means its waters are cool enough for certain types of fish to live there. You can find many different kinds of fish in the lake.
Some of the fish you might see include rainbow trout, brown trout, and lake trout. There are also landlocked salmon and chain pickerel.
If you enjoy fishing, there are two public places where you can launch a boat. During the winter, from January through March, people are allowed to go ice fishing on the lake.
Nearby Places to Explore
On the northeast side of Lake Francis, you'll find Lake Francis State Park. This is a great place to visit, especially since the Connecticut River flows into the lake right there.
North of Lake Francis is another body of water called Back Lake. To the northeast, you'll find First Connecticut Lake. This is one of four lakes that are the very beginning of the Connecticut River.
Images for kids
-
A topographical map showing Lake Francis (bottom center), with Back Lake to its north, and First Connecticut Lake to the northeast.
-
A view of Murphy Dam, looking up at the embankment. You can see a fence in the foreground, which is part of a local baseball field.
-
A view of Lake Francis from the public boat launch along U.S. Route 3.
-
A view looking south from near the boat launch.
