Silver Lake (Plymouth County, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silver Lake |
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 Silver Lake
Location in Massachusetts
Silver Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Pembroke, Kingston, and Plympton, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°00′48″N 70°47′18″W / 42.01333°N 70.78833°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Tubbs Meadow Brook |
| Primary outflows | Jones River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 640 acres (2.6 km2) |
| Settlements | Silver Lake |
Silver Lake is a large lake in Massachusetts. It covers about 640 acres (2.6 km²). You can find it in the towns of Pembroke, Kingston, and Plympton. The lake is an important source of drinking water for the city of Brockton.
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What is Silver Lake?
Silver Lake is a special kind of lake called a reservoir. A reservoir is like a big, natural storage tank for water. It holds water that people will use for drinking and other needs. The lake gets its water from a stream called Tubbs Meadow Brook. It is also the start of the Jones River.
A Bit of History
Long ago, Silver Lake was known by a different name: Jones River Pond. But in the 1800s, its name was changed to Silver Lake. This was done to help sell more ice from the lake! Back then, people would cut large blocks of ice from frozen lakes to keep food cold.
Water for Brockton
Silver Lake is the main source of drinking water for the city of Brockton. There is a special building called a water treatment plant nearby. This plant cleans the lake water to make it safe for people to drink.
Sometimes, if there isn't enough water in Silver Lake, water can be added from other ponds. These include Monponsett Pond and Furnace Pond. This extra water helps make sure Brockton always has enough to drink.
Keeping the Water Clean
Because Silver Lake is a source of drinking water, most fun activities like swimming or boating are not allowed. This helps keep the water clean and safe for everyone.
However, sometimes water from other ponds can bring challenges. For example, Monponsett Pond sometimes has harmful algae. When water from Monponsett Pond is added to Silver Lake, it can bring these algae with it. This makes it harder to keep the drinking water clean.
The Jones River Connection
Silver Lake is supposed to provide a lot of water to the Jones River. But there is a dam called the Forge Pond Dam near the lake's exit. This dam sometimes lets out very little water, or even no water at all, into the river. This means that fish and other water animals that need to travel up the river to the lake cannot always do so. The city of Brockton likes to keep the dam to make sure they have enough water stored in the lake.
Visiting Silver Lake Sanctuary
Even though you can't swim in Silver Lake, you can still enjoy the area! There's a place called Silver Lake Sanctuary. It's a large property, about 92 acres (37 hectares), where you can walk, hike, and even fish. You can find the sanctuary at the end of Barses Lane, off Route 27 in Kingston.
Silver Lake Village
The name "Silver Lake" is also used for a small village. This village is located southeast of the lake itself, in Kingston. It's near where Grove Street and Lake Street meet. Silver Lake Regional High School is also in this area, north of the village on Route 27.
