Lovewell Pond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lovewell Pond |
|
|---|---|
 Lovewell Pond
Location in Maine
Lovewell Pond
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Fryeburg, Maine |
| Coordinates | 44°00′21″N 70°55′55″W / 44.00583°N 70.93194°W |
| Surface area | 1,120 acres (450 ha) |
| Max. depth | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Surface elevation | 358 feet (109 m) |
Lovewell Pond is a pretty big body of water found in southeastern Fryeburg, Maine. It's a popular spot with about 75-80 buildings along its shore, plus many others who can visit the pond.
This pond is the second largest in Oxford County, Maine. It covers about 1,120 acres, which is a little smaller than Kezar Pond. But Lovewell Pond's size changes a lot because it floods every year!
The Saco River is super important to Lovewell Pond. It acts like both a water entrance and exit. When the Saco River floods, the water actually flows into the pond instead of out, making the pond much bigger. This flooding is quite unusual for a pond!
During dry times, Lovewell Pond can be up to 45 feet deep. But when it rains a lot, especially in spring, it can get about 10 feet deeper! The water is usually lowest in summer (August) and highest in spring (April).
Contents
What's the Temperature Like?
Have you ever wondered how warm the water is in Lovewell Pond?
- The water right at the surface is usually around 74 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you go down about 35 feet, the water gets cooler, around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Amazing Wildlife in the Pond
Lovewell Pond is home to many different kinds of fish that like warmer water. You can find:
- Smallmouth and largemouth bass
- White and yellow perch
- Chain pickerel
- Pumpkinseed sunfish
- Minnows
- Brown trout
- Lake whitefish
- Rainbow smelt
- Burbot (also called cusk)
- Hornpout (also called bullhead)
- Golden shiner and common shiner
- Fallfish (also called chub)
- White sucker
- American eel
Besides fish, there are also a few types of turtles and water snakes living in the pond.
Protecting the Loons
One very important animal in Lovewell Pond is the common loon. People work hard to help the loon population grow and stay healthy here, and in many other ponds across the Northeast.
Right now, there are about 9 adult loons on Lovewell Pond, plus some baby chicks! People who live near the pond have even built special floating nests for the loons to lay their eggs on. This helps give the eggs a better chance to hatch safely.
There are two islands in the pond, and the bigger one, Pine Island, is now closed to visitors. This makes it a safe place, like a sanctuary, just for the loons.
How to Visit Lovewell Pond
There's a public boat ramp at the southeastern part of the pond, right off Route 113. It's across from the Eastern Slopes Regional Airport.
This ramp is open for everyone to use. When boats come into the pond, they are checked carefully for any tiny pieces of invasive plants that might have come from other lakes. Lovewell Pond is watched very closely to make sure these harmful plants don't start growing and spreading there.
Evergreen Spring and Water Use
Next to Lovewell Pond, also off Route 113, is a place called Evergreen Spring. This spring is owned by Nestlé and provides water for the Poland Spring bottled water company.
The Lovewell Pond Corporation, a group that cares for the pond, has had discussions with Nestlé. They were concerned that taking so much water might lower the groundwater level, which could mean less fresh water flowing into the pond. However, Nestlé has continued its water collection practices.
- Kezar Pond
