Panther Hollow Lake facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Panther Hollow Lake
Panther Hollow Lake Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Panther Hollow Lake Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Panther Hollow, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40°26′13″N 79°56′53″W / 40.43685°N 79.94810°W / 40.43685; -79.94810
Type	Artificial lake
Part of	Panther Hollow Watershed
Primary inflows	Phipps Run Panther Hollow Run
Primary outflows	Four Mile Run

Panther Hollow Lake is a human-made lake located in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was built over a century ago and plays an important role in the park's environment.

The lake as seen from Panther Hollow Bridge.

What is a Watershed?

Panther Hollow Lake is part of something called the Panther Hollow Watershed. A watershed is an area of land where all the rain and melted snow drain into one main body of water. This watershed covers about 300 acres, including parts of Schenley Park and the Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

The lake acts like a big collection basin for this watershed. It gathers stormwater, which is water from rain and melting snow. This water then flows from the lake through a stream called Four Mile Run, eventually reaching the Monongahela River. Two smaller streams, Phipps Run and Panther Hollow Run, also flow through Schenley Park and feed directly into the lake.

History of the Lake

Before the Park Was Built

Before Schenley Park was created and the Squirrel Hill area became a busy neighborhood, many small streams flowed through this land. These streams were natural parts of the watershed. Today, many of these streams in Squirrel Hill are underground. They now feed into the city's sewer system instead of flowing into the lake.

Building the Lake

Panther Hollow Lake was built between 1907 and 1909. This was around the same time that other important structures were being built in Schenley Park. These included the famous Panther Hollow Bridge and the unique tufa bridges. The lake was created from a smaller body of water that was already on the site.

Challenges and First Renovation

Over many years, dirt and mud began to build up at the bottom of the lake. This made the lake much shallower. In 1957, a big project was started to fix this problem. The lake was completely drained, and its walls were rebuilt. For a short time, small plants were grown in the lake bed. After about two years, water was brought back into the lake.

Fun Activities at the Lake

In the past, Panther Hollow Lake was a popular spot for fun activities. There used to be a boathouse where people could rent boats. Ice skating was also a very popular winter activity on the lake, especially up until the 1970s.

Second Decline and Future Plans

After many years, the lake was not used as much by the public. The old boathouse was taken down in 1979. More dirt and mud piled up, making most of the lake less than four feet deep.

Now, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has a plan to bring the lake back to its original beauty. This plan includes fully restoring the lake and improving the watershed. There are also plans to rebuild the boathouse, so people can enjoy the lake again.