Sturgeon Pool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sturgeon Pool |
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 Sturgeon Pool
Location in New York
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| Location | Ulster County, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°50′37″N 74°02′34″W / 41.8436°N 74.0428°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Wallkill River |
| Primary outflows | Wallkill River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 194 acres (79 ha) |
| Average depth | 34 ft (10 m) |
| Max. depth | 93 ft (28 m) |
| Shore length1 | 4.4 mi (7.1 km) |
| Surface elevation | 131 ft (40 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Sturgeon Pool is a special kind of lake called a reservoir. It's located near a small community called Rifton in Ulster County, New York.
This reservoir was made by building a large wall, or dam, across the Wallkill River. The dam was built right where the Wallkill River usually meets another stream called Rondout Creek. The main reason for creating Sturgeon Pool was to make hydroelectricity. This is a way to create electricity using the power of moving water.
Because of the dam, most of the Wallkill River's water flows into Sturgeon Pool. This means less water from the Wallkill River reaches the Rondout Creek. It's quite unusual for a river to flow into a smaller creek like this!
Contents
What is Sturgeon Pool?
Sturgeon Pool is a man-made lake, also known as a reservoir. It was created to hold a lot of water. This water is then used to generate electricity.
How the Pool Was Created
To make Sturgeon Pool, engineers built a large dam across the Wallkill River. This dam holds back the river's water, forming the big pool. The dam is located just before the Wallkill River would normally join the Rondout Creek.
Making Electricity from Water
The main purpose of Sturgeon Pool is to produce hydroelectricity. This process uses the force of water flowing through the dam. As the water rushes down, it spins special turbines. These turbines are connected to generators that create electricity. It's a clean way to power homes and businesses.
Fish and Wildlife in the Pool
Even though it's called Sturgeon Pool, there are no longer any sturgeon fish living here. A writer named J MacKinnon noted that sturgeon disappeared due to the damming of the water and too much fishing in the past.
What Fish Live Here Now?
Today, you can find several types of fish in Sturgeon Pool. These include smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, which are popular for fishing. Other fish like carp, bluegill, black crappie, and white perch also live in the reservoir.
