Blue Lake (New York)

Coordinates: 41°09′48″N 74°15′35″W / 41.163288°N 74.259774°W / 41.163288; -74.259774
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Blue Lake
Sterling Forest Lake
Location of Blue Lake in New York, USA.
Location of Blue Lake in New York, USA.
Blue Lake
Location of Blue Lake in New York, USA.
Location of Blue Lake in New York, USA.
Blue Lake
LocationOrange County, New York
Coordinates41°09′48″N 74°15′35″W / 41.163288°N 74.259774°W / 41.163288; -74.259774
TypeReservoir
Part ofRamapo River Watershed
Primary outflowsRingwood River
Basin countriesUnited States
First flooded1956
Surface area115 acres (0.47 km2)
Max. depth26 ft (7.9 m)
Shore length12.3 mi (3.7 km)
Surface elevation650 ft (200 m)
References[1][2]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Blue Lake, also called Sterling Forest Lake, is located in Sterling Forest State Park, New York.[1] As of 2018, the Blue Lake Reservoir System, operated by SUEZ North America (formerly United Water), supplies drinking water from Blue Lake to about 1,200 people.[3]

Overview[edit]

The lake is the largest of many smaller lakes in the state park. The lake contains a number of fish species including Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel and Panfish.[4] Fishing is permitted and the lake has the only boat launch within the state park, but no gas motors are allowed.[4]

History[edit]

Blue Lake was created in 1956 when the stream originating at Little Cedar Pond to the northwest was dammed, inundating the area. In 1960, the International Nickel Company (INCO) purchased property overlooking the lake where they built a facility. That facility, which ceased operation in the late 1980s, included a headquarters office and a research center called the Paul D. Merica Laboratory.[5][6] After remaining vacant for decades, the old INCO facility was replaced in 2016[7] by the newly constructed world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses.[8] The only other facility adjacent to Blue Lake is owned by IBM. Originally built in the early 1970s, it now hosts a business continuity and recovery center.[9][10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Blue Lake - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation". www.dec.ny.gov. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  2. ^ "Environmental Impact Statement on Wastewater Treatment Facilities Construction Grants for the Ramapo River Basin, New York". U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region II: 22. 1979.
  3. ^ https://www.mysuezwater.com/sites/default/files/BLwaterquality2018.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ a b "Blue Lake - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation". www.dec.ny.gov. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
  5. ^ "Nature's Serenity Contributes to Success of Science; STERLING FOREST: A SCIENCE HAVEN; Laboratories Moving From Cities to Quiet Woods". The New York Times. 1964-08-17. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  6. ^ "Laboratory of the Month". Analytical Chemistry. 38 (11): 103A–105A. 1966-10-01. doi:10.1021/ac60243a705. ISSN 0003-2700.
  7. ^ "GBI Awards 7 Four Green Globes for Sustainable Design of WHQ". JW.ORG. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  8. ^ "Jehovah's Witnesses Begin Construction in Warwick, New York". JW.ORG. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  9. ^ Levensohn, Michael. "IBM plans $50M upgrade to replace Sterling Forest plant's aging equipment". recordonline.com. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  10. ^ Hernández, Daisy (2003-01-04). "The Ultimate Backup In the Backwoods; Using Remote Sites for Emergencies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-26.