Wilson Lake (Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilson Lake |
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 Wilson Lake
Location in Maine
Wilson Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | York County, Maine |
| Coordinates | 43°33′27″N 70°56′19″W / 43.55750°N 70.93861°W |
| Type | olgiotrophic |
| Primary inflows | spring fed |
| Primary outflows | Salmon Falls River |
| Catchment area | 2,479 acres (3.9 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5,274 ft (1.0 mi) |
| Max. width | 3,741 ft (0.7 mi) |
| Surface area | 308 acres (0.5 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 17 ft (5.2 m) Average transparency: 5.8 m (19.0 ft) |
| Max. depth | 44 ft (13.4 m) |
| Water volume | 6,757,766 m3 (238,648,254.1 cu ft) |
| Residence time | 1.2 years |
| Shore length1 | 19,419 ft (3.7 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 571 ft (174 m) |
| Settlements | Acton, Maine |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Wilson Lake is a lake located in York County, Maine, Maine, United States. It covers about 308 acres. The lake gets its water from natural springs. This water then flows into Horn Pond, then the Salmon Falls River, and finally reaches the ocean at the Gulf of Maine.
All About Wilson Lake
Wilson Lake is known for its good water quality. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has given it a "good" rating. The land area that drains into Wilson Lake, called its watershed, covers about 2,479 acres.
Most of the land around the lake (79%) is covered by forests. About 8% of the land has buildings or roads. Many homes and camps are built along the shoreline. In fact, 70% of these buildings are very close to the water, within 50 feet.
How We Measure Water Quality
Scientists have been checking the water quality of Wilson Lake since 1977. They collect different types of information to see how healthy the lake is.
- Water Clarity: They use a special tool called a secchi disk to measure how clear the water is. This helps them see how far light can reach into the lake. They have 29 years of this data. In 2008, the water was clear enough to see about 5.9 meters (19 feet) deep.
- Nutrients: They also measure things like phosphorus. Phosphorus is a nutrient that can make algae grow too much if there's too much of it. They have 9 years of phosphorus data. In 2008, the amount of phosphorus was very low, which is good for the lake.
- Algae: Scientists check for chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), which is a green pigment found in algae. This helps them know how much algae is growing in the lake. They have 5 years of this data.
- Oxygen: They measure dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water. Fish and other lake creatures need oxygen to live. They have 17 years of oxygen data.
Protecting Wilson Lake
The Wilson Lake Association is a group of people who work to keep the lake's water clean and healthy. Their main goal is to stop any pollution that could make the water quality worse.
The association also encourages everyone who uses the lake to help. They want people to work together to reduce or stop harmful substances from getting into the lake water. This helps make sure Wilson Lake stays a great place for everyone to enjoy.
