Maranacook Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maranacook Lake
Maranacook Lake Location in Maine Show map of Maine Maranacook Lake Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Kennebec County, Maine
Coordinates	44°20′44″N 69°57′23″W / 44.3454256°N 69.9563942°W / 44.3454256; -69.9563942
Lake type	Mesotrophicic, reservoir
Primary inflows	Tingley Brook, Beaver Brook, Roseanne Brook, Dead Stream
Primary outflows	Annabessacook Lake, Cobbosseecontee Lake, Cobbosseecontee Stream, Kennebec River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	1,673 acres (677 ha)
Average depth	30 ft (9.1 m)
Max. depth	118 ft (36 m)
Water volume	48,020 acre⋅ft (59,230,000 m3)
Surface elevation	374 ft (114 m)
Settlements	Readfield and Winthrop

Maranacook Lake from Green Street, Winthrop around 1905

Maranacook Lake is a beautiful lake in Kennebec County, Maine. It is located in the towns of Readfield, Maine and Winthrop, Maine. This lake is quite large, covering about 1,673 acres. At its deepest point, it goes down 118 feet, which is like stacking almost 10 school buses end-to-end! On average, it is about 30 feet deep. Maranacook Lake is one of the main lakes in the Winthrop Lakes Region.

Where Does the Water Come From?

Maranacook Lake is an important source of drinking water for the town of Winthrop. The land around the lake is mostly forests and farms.

The lake gets its water from four main streams:

• Tingley Brook, from the northeast
• Beaver Brook, from the east
• Roseanne Brook, from the west
• Dead Stream, from the northwest

Dead Stream is the main stream that flows from Torsey Pond into Maranacook Lake. The water from Maranacook Lake then flows out into Annabessacook Lake. It also connects to Cobbosseecontee Lake, Cobbosseecontee Stream, and eventually the big Kennebec River.

Fun Things to Do at Maranacook Lake

Maranacook Lake is a very popular spot for fun and tourism. Many people have summer homes or rental cabins here. Some even live by the lake all year round. It is known as one of the cleanest lakes in Maine.

The lake is part of the Cobbossee Watershed. This means its health is watched over by the Maranacook Lake Association. They work to keep the water clean and safe.

The lake has two main parts:

• The North Basin in Readfield is about 700 acres. It is shallower and has a more even temperature.
• The South Basin in Winthrop is about 1,000 acres. It is deeper and colder.

A concrete dam called the Maranacook Lake Upper Dam was built in 1995. It is located at the southeastern end of the lake in Winthrop. This dam helps control the water levels in Maranacook Lake and other nearby waters. It also helps prevent the lake's shores from wearing away.

Fishing at the Lake

Maranacook Lake is a great place for fishing! It is well-known for its populations of:

• Smallmouth bass
• Largemouth bass
• Smelt

Camp KV

The lake is also home to Camp KV. This is a popular day camp located in Readfield.

Images for kids

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  Maranacook Lodge and launch

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  Camps on the lake

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  Paddlers on the lake