Lake Umbagog
Encyclopedia
Umbagog Lake is a wilderness lake located in Coös County, New Hampshire
and Oxford County, Maine
. It is one of the most pristine lakes in the state of New Hampshire
. It lies in the towns of Errol, New Hampshire
, and Upton, Maine
, as well as the townships of Cambridge, New Hampshire
and Magalloway Plantation, Maine. The name Umbagog is properly pronounced with the stress on the second syllable (um-BAY-gog) and is said to come from the Abenaki word for "shallow water".
The lake is part of the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge and a New Hampshire state park. Along its southernmost shore, there is a public campground and a public boat launch ramp which may be accessed from New Hampshire Route 26. There are 26 wilderness campsites, accessible only by boat, which are located around the lake. An interesting feature along its northwest shore is an expansive natural floating island
composed of generations of decomposing marshland vegetation. The area is abundant with wildlife, including coyote, wild turkey, bald eagle, osprey, bobcat, moose
, rabbit
, bear
, and many other native species.
The lake runs almost 11 miles (17.7 km) north to south. Its surface area is 7850 acres (31.8 km²), making it the largest lake along the Maine/New Hampshire border. Its average depth is less than 15 feet (4.6 m), and its maximum depth is 48 feet (14.6 m). A deep section at the north end (aptly named "Deep Hole") may exceed 75 feet (23 m). The lake's area and depth were markedly increased with the construction of a dam at Errol in the 19th century.
Umbagog Lake is fed by the Magalloway River
, the Rapid River
, and the Dead Cambridge River
. It is the source
of the Androscoggin River
.
Coos County, New Hampshire
-National protected areas:*Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge *Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge *White Mountain National Forest -Demographics:...
and Oxford County, Maine
Oxford County, Maine
Oxford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine with a population of 57,833 as of the 2010 U.S. census. Its county seat is Paris.Part of Oxford County is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, metropolitan New England City and Town Area while a different part of Oxford County is...
. It is one of the most pristine lakes in the state of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. It lies in the towns of Errol, New Hampshire
Errol, New Hampshire
Errol is a town in Coos County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 291 at the 2010 census. It is located north of the White Mountains along Route 16 at the intersection of Route 26...
, and Upton, Maine
Upton, Maine
Upton is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 62 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:...
, as well as the townships of Cambridge, New Hampshire
Cambridge, New Hampshire
Cambridge is a township in Coos County in the state of New Hampshire. In New Hampshire, locations, grants, townships , and purchases are unincorporated portions of a county which are not part of any town and have limited self-government...
and Magalloway Plantation, Maine. The name Umbagog is properly pronounced with the stress on the second syllable (um-BAY-gog) and is said to come from the Abenaki word for "shallow water".
The lake is part of the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge and a New Hampshire state park. Along its southernmost shore, there is a public campground and a public boat launch ramp which may be accessed from New Hampshire Route 26. There are 26 wilderness campsites, accessible only by boat, which are located around the lake. An interesting feature along its northwest shore is an expansive natural floating island
Floating island
A floating island is a mass of floating aquatic plants, mud, and peat ranging in thickness from a few inches to several feet. Floating islands are a common natural phenomenon that are found in many parts of the world. They exist less commonly as a man-made phenomenon...
composed of generations of decomposing marshland vegetation. The area is abundant with wildlife, including coyote, wild turkey, bald eagle, osprey, bobcat, moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
, bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, and many other native species.
The lake runs almost 11 miles (17.7 km) north to south. Its surface area is 7850 acres (31.8 km²), making it the largest lake along the Maine/New Hampshire border. Its average depth is less than 15 feet (4.6 m), and its maximum depth is 48 feet (14.6 m). A deep section at the north end (aptly named "Deep Hole") may exceed 75 feet (23 m). The lake's area and depth were markedly increased with the construction of a dam at Errol in the 19th century.
Umbagog Lake is fed by the Magalloway River
Magalloway River
The Magalloway River is a river in northwestern Maine and northern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Androscoggin River, which flows to the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine, near the Atlantic Ocean...
, the Rapid River
Rapid River (Maine)
The Rapid River is a river in the northwestern portion of the US state of Maine flowing from Lower Richardson Lake to Umbagog Lake. Despite its short length, it forms the end of a major portion of the Umbagog Lake and Androscoggin River watersheds...
, and the Dead Cambridge River
Dead Cambridge River
The Dead Cambridge River is a river in northwestern Maine. It is a tributary of Lake Umbagog, the outflow of which is the Androscoggin River, flowing to the tidal Kennebec River and the Atlantic Ocean.-References:**...
. It is the source
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
of the Androscoggin River
Androscoggin River
The Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
.