The Future is in Your Hands
Lake Winnipesaukee is a classic glacially formed oligotrophic (this means low fertility) lake. The water is quite clear; average main lake and bay visibility is 27-29 feet. Visibility is slightly less in central portions of Moultonborough Bay (21 feet) and less still in the extreme northern end of this bay (less than 15 feet).
The physical nature of the main-lake shoreline ranges from boulder-strewn to sandy. Some back-bay areas (e.g. the extreme northern end of Moultonborough Bay) have wetland shorelines, but this habitat is limited overall. The lake bottom and reefs/shoals are predominantly ledge, boulders, cobble, gravel, and sand, with softer muck bottoms in basin and back-bay areas.
Emergent and submergent vegetation are sparsely located throughout the lake. Submergents include pondweed, variable milfoil, bladderwort, quillwort, and pipewort; emergents include yellow and white water lily, pickerelweed, and water shield. The greatest concentrations of these aquatics are found in the northern end of Moultonborough Bay.
Winnipesaukee by the Numbers
236.2
k
Acres of total watershed area
260
Islands within the lake
180
Feet at maximum depth
240
Miles of shoreline
63
Mile drive around the lake
52.1
k
Acres of total surface area
28
Miles of lake length
43
Feet at average depth
625
Billion gallons of volume
180.5
k
Acres of total land area
55.6
k
Acres of total surface water
72
Square miles of surface area
504
Feet of elevation
534
Cubic ft/second of mean discharge
5
Years of residence
22.5
Inches of evaporation rate per year
- It is a 63 mile drive around Lake Winnipesaukee.
- There are 260 islands in Lake Winnipesaukee, 130 of which are over 0.25 acre in size.
- Becky’s Garden is the smallest island on Lake Winnipesaukee having a 10 foot width on a good day.
- Loon is the name of three different islands on Lake Winnipesaukee.
- Trophic State – Oligotrophic
- “Winnipiseogee” is the Native American name for Lake Winnipesaukee, which was the most common named used by the earliest New Hampshire English settlers. The most popular translation of the name is “Smile of the Great Spirit”.
- The Lady of the Lake was constructed in Lakeport in 1849 and was the first boat built over 100 feet in length that provided mass transport on the lake.
- The 780 ton MS Mount Washington, was assembled in 1939 from the 230-foot hull of the Lake Champlain Vessel Chateaugay. The Mount stops at Wolfeboro, Alton Bay, Weirs Beach, Meredith, and Center Harbor, from ice-out in spring until October 21st.
- The islanders on Lake Winnipesaukee don’t have to come to the mainland to pick up their mail. The MS Mount Washington’s sister ship, the Sophie C, delivers mail to all inhabited islands.
- The official Ice-Out on Lake Winnipesaukee is judged by when the MS Mt. Washington can successfully navigate its route.
- Wolfeboro is the oldest summer resort town in the U.S.
- The water quality in Lake Winnipesaukee is considered fairly good, but poorer conditions do occur in localized sites.
- Lake Winnipesaukee is considered an oligotrophic lake meaning the lake has good water clarity, limited plant growth, and relatively low nutrient inputs.
- The parameters used to measure a lake’s trophic state are chlorophyll a, water transparency, and total phosphorus.
- Phosphorus stimulates plant growth and contributes significantly to eutrophication, when the lake turns green due to algae growth. Water transparency measures water clarity, which is affected by algae growth in response to increases of phosphorus input.
- The water in the lake’s numerous coves and bays does not readily mix with the rest of the lake, causing the water in these areas to be more susceptible to water quality problems.
- Otter, beaver, muskrat, mink, fisher, moose, deer, black bear, coyotes, and bobcats all can be seen in the Lakes Region.
- The Lakes Region has one of the last known colonies of purple martins in the state, which nest in boxes provided by local residents.
- Male loons return to their traditional nesting territory in the Lakes Region on the day of ice-out and are joined by a female.
- Rainbow trout were introduced to Lake Winnipesaukee in 1990 and small mouth bass were introduced in 1860.