Mascoma Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mascoma Lake |
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Mascoma Lake, February 2005
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 Mascoma Lake
Location in New Hampshire
Mascoma Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Grafton County, New Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 43°37′20″N 72°8′27″W / 43.62222°N 72.14083°W |
| Primary inflows | Mascoma River; Knox River |
| Primary outflows | Mascoma River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 4.2 mi (6.8 km) |
| Max. width | 0.7 mi (1.1 km) |
| Surface area | 1,165 acres (4.71 km2) |
| Average depth | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Max. depth | 68 ft (21 m) |
| Surface elevation | 228 m (748 ft) |
| Islands | Wood Island; Relhan Island; North Island |
| Settlements | Enfield; Lebanon (village of Mascoma) |
Mascoma Lake is a beautiful lake in western New Hampshire, United States. It covers about 1,158 acres, which is like having over 870 football fields! Most of this lake is in a town called Enfield. A smaller part is in the city of Lebanon. The lake's water flows out into the Mascoma River. This river then joins the larger Connecticut River.
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Mascoma Lake: A Cool Spot in New Hampshire
Mascoma Lake stretches from its southeast side to its northwest side. The water leaves the lake from its northwestern end. The Mascoma River flows into the lake near its middle. This happens on the northeastern side, right where the town of Enfield is. The southeastern end of the lake gets its water from the Knox River.
The lake is about 30 feet deep on average. At its deepest point, it goes down about 68 feet.
Fun on the Lake!
When winter comes, Mascoma Lake freezes over. The ice becomes strong enough for people to walk on it! Many people enjoy ice fishing here during the colder months. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department also adds trout to the lake, which helps with fishing.
Mascoma Lake is generally a safe place for swimming. The town of Enfield even has a public beach on the lake with a lifeguard. Sometimes, tiny plant-like things called cyanobacteria can grow in the water. If there are too many, the state might ask people to avoid swimming in certain areas for a short time. This helps keep everyone safe.
Science and Sailing
Did you know that NASA and its partners have used the frozen Mascoma Lake for science? They tested a special robot called a robotic rover on the ice. This helped them practice for missions in places like Antarctica!
Mascoma Lake is also a popular spot for sailing. The Dartmouth College sailing team practices here. There is also a community sailing club called the Mascoma Sailing Club that uses the lake.
Images for kids
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MASCOMA LAKE, ENFIELD, N.H.; ca. 1906; Enfield Shaker Museum
