Moosehead Lake
Moosehead Lake | ||
---|---|---|
Primary inflows Moose River | | |
Primary outflows | Kennebec River | |
Catchment area | 1,268 square miles (3,280 km2) | |
Basin countries | United States | |
Max. length | 40 miles (64 km) | |
Max. width | 10 miles (16 km) | |
Surface area | 75,451 acres (30,534 ha) | |
Average depth | 55 feet (17 m) | |
Max. depth | 246 feet (75 m) | |
Water volume | 4,210,000 acre⋅ft (5.19×109 m3) | |
Residence time | 3.1 years | |
Shore length1 | 280.8 miles (451.9 km) | |
Surface elevation | 1,029 feet (314 m) | |
Islands | >80 (Sugar Island) | |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Moosehead Lake is a deep, coldwater lake located in
History
The Moosehead region includes the headwaters of the Kennebec, the West Branch of the
The region has a large moose population; moose outnumber people 3:1.[2] However, the name of the region derives from the remarkable similarity between maps of the lake and an antlered moose.
Geography
Set at an elevation of 1,023 feet (312 m), Moosehead Lake is approx. 40 by 10 miles (64 by 16 km), with an area of nearly 118 mile² (approx. 303 km2), and over 400 miles (640 km) of shoreline. Its major inlet is the Moose River, which, east of Jackman, flows through Long Pond to Brassua Lake. To the east of Moosehead Lake, the Roach River is its second largest tributary. Flowing out of Moosehead Lake to the southwest are its east and west outlets—the Kennebec River.
The Moosehead Lake Region encompasses 4,400 square miles (11,000 km2) of North Central Maine, and includes 127 incorporated and unincorporated townships in addition to Moosehead Lake. The region is drained by 330 miles (530 km) of main stem rivers, into which flow 3,850 miles (6,200 km) of smaller tributaries. During the last glacial era, more than 1,200 natural lakes and ponds were carved into its landscape, varying in size from one acre (4,000 m2) ponds to Moosehead which, at 75,451 acres (305.34 km2), is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in the United States. The total area of all standing surface waters in the region is more than 238,000 acres (960 km2) – 24% of the total area of lakes and ponds in Maine.
Climate
There is a weather station in the unincorporated namesake community of Moosehead on the middle part of the western lakeshore. The area has a
Climate data for Moosehead, Maine, 1991–2020 averages, extremes 1931–present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 58 (14) |
64 (18) |
77 (25) |
87 (31) |
91 (33) |
97 (36) |
93 (34) |
96 (36) |
95 (35) |
84 (29) |
73 (23) |
68 (20) |
96 (36) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 43.3 (6.3) |
45.1 (7.3) |
53.1 (11.7) |
71.6 (22.0) |
83.8 (28.8) |
87.1 (30.6) |
88.2 (31.2) |
86.8 (30.4) |
83.6 (28.7) |
73.9 (23.3) |
61.0 (16.1) |
49.3 (9.6) |
90.5 (32.5) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 23.4 (−4.8) |
26.5 (−3.1) |
35.6 (2.0) |
48.1 (8.9) |
62.7 (17.1) |
71.6 (22.0) |
76.5 (24.7) |
75.5 (24.2) |
67.8 (19.9) |
53.8 (12.1) |
40.7 (4.8) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
51.0 (10.6) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 13.0 (−10.6) |
14.3 (−9.8) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
37.2 (2.9) |
50.8 (10.4) |
60.0 (15.6) |
65.3 (18.5) |
63.3 (17.4) |
56.0 (13.3) |
43.8 (6.6) |
32.4 (0.2) |
20.6 (−6.3) |
40.1 (4.5) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 2.6 (−16.3) |
2.0 (−16.7) |
12.2 (−11.0) |
26.4 (−3.1) |
38.9 (3.8) |
48.4 (9.1) |
54.2 (12.3) |
51.2 (10.7) |
44.2 (6.8) |
33.8 (1.0) |
24.1 (−4.4) |
11.9 (−11.2) |
29.2 (−1.6) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −18.5 (−28.1) |
−17.8 (−27.7) |
−12.2 (−24.6) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
25.0 (−3.9) |
35.9 (2.2) |
43.0 (6.1) |
40.4 (4.7) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
21.9 (−5.6) |
8.4 (−13.1) |
−8.5 (−22.5) |
−22.0 (−30.0) |
Record low °F (°C) | −33 (−36) |
−30 (−34) |
−29 (−34) |
3 (−16) |
19 (−7) |
30 (−1) |
34 (1) |
30 (−1) |
20 (−7) |
14 (−10) |
−10 (−23) |
−28 (−33) |
−33 (−36) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.69 (68) |
2.27 (58) |
2.76 (70) |
3.28 (83) |
3.43 (87) |
4.39 (112) |
4.03 (102) |
3.85 (98) |
3.42 (87) |
4.45 (113) |
3.42 (87) |
3.50 (89) |
41.49 (1,054) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 20.2 (51) |
21.6 (55) |
18.4 (47) |
7.5 (19) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.2 (3.0) |
6.5 (17) |
22.6 (57) |
98.3 (249.76) |
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 18.9 (48) |
22.3 (57) |
26.2 (67) |
17.5 (44) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (2.0) |
3.7 (9.4) |
12.8 (33) |
28.9 (73) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.1 | 10.8 | 11.3 | 12.0 | 14.1 | 13.8 | 14.6 | 12.9 | 10.7 | 13.3 | 12.5 | 13.9 | 152.0 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 11.3 | 10.2 | 8.7 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 4.9 | 10.8 | 50.6 |
Source 1: NOAA[3] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: National Weather Service[4] |
Development plans
In January 2021, a $75 million investment was made into developing the 1,700-acre Big Squaw Mountain Resort into a year-round tourist attraction that would include a new ski-lift system, a large hotel, lakefront condominiums, and a marina. The plans are being made by local developer Perry Williams, along with Louisiana-based developers at Provident Resources Group.[7]
References
- ISBN 9780878333035.
- ^ "Four-Star lodging at the Lodge at Moosehead Lake, Greenville, Maine". www.visitingnewengland.com. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Moosehead, ME". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Gray". National Weather Service. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- ^ "Plum Creek: An Update". Natural Resources Council of Maine. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15.
- ^ Tanuki (September 29, 2008). "Another Act of Resistance to Plum Creek by Maine Earth First!". Maine Earth First. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011.
- ^ "A $75 million ski resort could bring hundreds of jobs to Moosehead region". 20 January 2021.
Further reading
- Parker, Everett L. (29 June 2004). The Moosehead Lake Region: 1900-1950. Images of America. ISBN 9781439631881.
- Hubbard's Guide to Moosehead Lake and Northern Maine - Annotated Edition - by Lucius L Hubbard (Author) and Tommy Carbone (Editor & Author). [ISBNs - 978-1732111783 or 978-1-7321117-8-3]
- Woods and Lakes of Maine - 2020 Annotated Edition: A Trip from Moosehead Lake to New Brunswick in a Birch-Bark Canoe by Lucius L. Hubbard (Author), Tommy Carbone (Editor & Author)[ISBN 978-1-7347358-3-3 ]