Rangeley Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rangeley Lake |
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postcard ca 1920
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 Rangeley Lake
Location in Maine
Rangeley Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Franklin County, Maine |
| Coordinates | 44°56′50.7″N 70°41′34.6″W / 44.947417°N 70.692944°W |
| Type | mesotrophic |
| Primary outflows | Rangeley River |
| Catchment area | 100 square miles (260 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 6,302 acres (2,550 ha) |
| Average depth | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Max. depth | 149 feet (45 m) |
| Water volume | 291,048 acre⋅ft (359,002,000 m3) |
| Residence time | 2.6 years |
| Shore length1 | 32.7 miles (52.6 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,518 feet (463 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Rangeley Lake is a beautiful lake located in Franklin County, Maine, a state in the United States. Many small streams flow into it, filling it with water. The water then flows out of the lake's northwest side into the short Rangeley River. From there, it travels through Mooselookmeguntic Lake and eventually reaches the Androscoggin River. This river leads to Merrymeeting Bay, the lower Kennebec River, and finally the vast Atlantic Ocean. So, the lake's water makes a long journey to the sea!
Rangeley Lake is one of the main lakes that feed the Androscoggin River system. It sits high up, about 1,518 feet (463 meters) above sea level. The lake covers an area of about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers). Near the shore, the lake is not very deep. But in the middle, there's a deeper part that averages about 95 feet (29 meters) deep. The deepest spot in the lake is 149 feet (45 meters).
The lake is partly located in two areas of Franklin County: Rangeley and Rangeley Plantation. The town of Rangeley is found on the northeastern shore of the lake.
There are a few islands in Rangeley Lake. Maneskootuk Island, also known as Doctors Island, is in the eastern part of the lake. In the western part, you'll find a small group of islands called the South Bog Islands.
Rangeley Lake Seaplane Base
Rangeley Lake is special because it has a designated area for seaplanes to land on the water. This area is called the Rangeley Lake Seaplane Base (United States Aerodrome M57). It's one of the few places in the world where seaplanes can use a special GPS system to help them land safely. Most other landing systems are designed for runways on land, like those made of pavement or grass.
Gallery
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Rangeley Lake State Park
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Rangeley Lake from its southern edge, inside the State Park
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A beautiful sunset over the lake
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Rangeley Lake station, around 1910
