Ragged Lake (Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ragged Lake |
|
|---|---|
 Ragged Lake
Location in Maine
Ragged Lake
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Piscataquis County, Maine |
| Coordinates | 45°47′N 69°22′W / 45.783°N 69.367°W |
| Primary outflows | Ragged Stream |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 6.5 mi (10.5 km) |
| Max. width | 1.5 mi (2.4 km) |
| Surface area | 2,605 acres (1,054 ha) |
| Max. depth | 54 feet (16 m) |
| Water volume | 42,029 acre⋅ft (51,842,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 1,135 ft (346 m) |
Ragged Lake is a beautiful lake located in the North Maine Woods area of Maine. It is the starting point for Ragged Stream, a waterway that flows out of the lake.
Years ago, the original Ragged Lake was made much bigger. This happened when a concrete dam was built about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) downstream from the lake. The dam caused the water to back up, creating a larger area of water called a reservoir.
About Ragged Lake
The reservoir created by the dam has some interesting features. It has a large shallow area, but also two deeper parts. These deeper sections go down more than 30 meters (98 feet)!
During the summer, the deep parts of the lake have low levels of oxygen. This can make it harder for some fish to live there.
Fish and Wildlife
Because of the changes in the lake, some types of fish are doing better than others. Fish like fallfish and longnose sucker are now more common. Sadly, the native brook trout don't thrive as much in these new conditions.
A smaller stream called Bear Brook flows into the south end of Ragged Lake. This brook is important for rainbow smelt. These fish use Bear Brook to lay their eggs, a process called a spawning run.
Where the Water Goes
Ragged Stream begins at the dam on the south end of Ragged Lake. From there, the stream flows for about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). It eventually empties into the Caribou Lake arm of Chesuncook Lake.
