West Thompson Lake
Reservoir in Thompson, Connecticut
41°57′15″N 71°54′13″W / 41.9542905°N 71.9036151°W / 41.9542905; -71.9036151 [1]1,250 acres (510 ha)
at full capacity[2]
West Thompson Lake is a 200-acre lake in Thompson, Windham County, Connecticut.[3]
A dam was constructed in 1965 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers to create the lake. It impounds the Quinebaug River for flood control and seasonal storm water management. The dam is owned and operated by the Corps of Engineers.[4]
The dam is one of the six flood control structures built on the river. This network of dams helps control flooding all the way from the upstream tributaries of the Thames River to the Long Island Sound. The West Thompson Dam was constructed in 1965. It cost 6.7 million U.S. dollars.[5]
The West Thompson Lake has a total storage capacity of 342 million gallons of flood water.
Natural Resources
West Thompson Lake contains a myriad of natural resources, including diverse habitats, landscapes, plant life, and wildlife. The 1,857 acres of land around the lake is managed by Park Rangers. Of the total area, approximately 1,125 acres are forests. The forests consist of eastern white pine, oak, and shagbark hickory, birch and maple.[5]
Recreation includes fishing, boating, hunting and hiking,[5] along with an 18-hole disc golf course.[6] Camping is available as well.[7]
References
- ^ a b "West Thompson Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b c d "Water-Quality Characteristics of Selected Public Recreational Lakes and Ponds in Connecticut" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. 1995. p. 231. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ "West Thompson Lake". Corps Lakes Gateway. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ "West Thompson Dam: CT00502". Stanford University. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ a b c "West Thompson Lake". New England District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ "West Thompson Lake Federal Park". Ctvisit.com. Connecticut Office of Tourism. 8 June 2006. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ "West Thompson Lake". Recreation.gov. USA.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
External links
- West Thompson Lake U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Bathymetry Map: West Thompson Reservoir Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
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Thames River Watershed
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