kids encyclopedia robot

Mahlstedt's Ice Pond facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Mahlsdet's Ice Pond
Huguenot Lake
Location of the reservoir in the state of New York.
Location of the reservoir in the state of New York.
Mahlsdet's Ice Pond
Location in New York
Location New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York
Coordinates 40°55′48″N 73°47′29″W / 40.9300°N 73.7915°W / 40.9300; -73.7915
Type man-made lake

Mahlstedt's Ice Pond, also known as Huguenot Lake, is a special man-made lake. It's located in the center of New Rochelle, Westchester County, New York. This lake was built in 1885.

The lake was created by a Dam on a small stream called Pine Brook. The dam is made of earth and rocks. It is about 15 feet (4.6 m) tall and 7,000 feet (2,100 m) long. The lake's surface area is about 14 ares (15,000 sq ft). It can hold about 70 acre-feet (86,000 m3) of water.

For many years, the lake provided water to nearby Mount Vernon. It was also used for a successful ice business. The Mahlstedt family harvested ice from the lake for generations. But when refrigerators became common, the ice business was no longer needed. So, in 1922, the family sold the lake and the land around it to the city.

Today, Mahlstedt's Ice Pond is part of Huguenot Park. It is also next to the New Rochelle High School campus. People now use the lake for fun activities and to help the environment.

Restoring the Lake and Streams

A special project was completed to help the area around New Rochelle High School. This project focused on fixing the banks along Stephenson Brook. The banks were eroding, meaning they were wearing away.

How the Restoration Helped

  • The banks were reshaped to make them stronger.
  • Special structures were put in place to give extra support. These structures were biodegradable, meaning they would break down naturally over time.
  • Many plants like perennials, shrubs, and trees were added. These plants help clean the water and keep the banks stable.
  • More plants were also added along the edge of Huguenot Lake. This helps stop erosion there too. It also creates better homes for wildlife.

Plants That Clean Water

Some specific plants were chosen for the project because they are good at filtering water. These include:

These plants naturally remove pollutants like nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. They also make the lake's shoreline look more beautiful.

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Mahlstedt's Ice Pond Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.