The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-07-06
THE LAKES OF MAINE.
Oar State Well Supplied With
Water

No other tract of country OF the
same extent on the continent is 30
well interchangeable with lakes and
streams well dlstributed-as is Maine
There are five principal lake chains or
systems, l. e., large lakes connected
by rivers and discharging into main
channels which convey their accumu-
lated waters to the ocean. These are,
| beginning on the western boundary.
/ % the Umbagog- Rangeley series,
with an area of ninety or more square
river; ~ the Moosehead series, form
Ing the headwaters of Kennebec river,
and main lake of which is 100 square
miles in area, and Is the largest in
4 land body OF water in New England
! 90 the Penobscot series, consisting of
/ Chesuncook aud its surrounding lakes
on the West branch of the Penobscot.
Allegash. Chamberlain and others on
the East Branch. and the Schools and
others connected with It still farther
east but flowing into the East branch
OF the Penobseot; "a the Schoodic
lakes In the southeastern part Of the
State, drained by st. Croix river. and
90 the many lakes forming the head
waters of St. John river and its trib-
utaries. There are many other lakes
in every county. which, though of
small area, in the aggregate hold an
immense amount of storage water and
add much to the Importance of the
lake systems of the State
The total number of lakes, not in
Guiding small ponds tributary to the
rivers. Is 1920, and their aggregate
area 2300 square miles, making one
lake to each twenty square miles of
territory and one square mile OF lake
surface to each 14.3 square miles of
land surface
The lakes of the larger systems are
In the mountain region, more Of them
on the northern than on the southern
pfNN' IL OulhO " tli5 lINtIb Ill general
work their way through the breaks
between the mountains and flow
southerly down the slopes to the At
lantic coast. The lake systems are
at high elevations for lakes 81 near
tidewater, SO that the outfiowing riy-
ers have large falls in their couses To
the ocean.
Lake ltasca, at the extreme head ,
waters of Mississippi river, is at an
altitude but little greater than that
of the Rangeley lakes Lake Superior.
at the source of the St Lawrence,
1900 miles by river from the ocean. is
at an elevation about tWo-thirds that
of Moosehead lake Lake Winnepesau-
kee, in New Hampshire, is at an ele- /,
walton hardly more than half that of I
the large lakes at the head Of the 4
PenObscotC hesuncook and Chamber
lain. The great elevation of these
lakes, the short courses of the rivers
outtioWing to the sea and the fact
that the lakes are largely located near
the headwaters of the streams. make
the rivers of the State far better for
the development OF water powers than
the streams in almost any other part
OF the United States.
The climate of the State Is highly
favorable for large and uniform run
on. The average temperature for the
year Is about Al degrees F., the aver
age in summer being from 50 degrees
TO TO degrees. The evaporation is
small. owing to the low
temperatures, the porous soil, the ex-
ensve forests, and the prevailing
Ogs. The rainfall is large and we'll
distributed Sudden heavy storms are
rare, most OF the water falling In
over considerable time In winter
nearly all of the precipitation is in
the form of SNOW. which lies on the
ground until late in the spring, grad
lally melting and adding to the vol
ume of the rivers The effect OF the
large rain fall and run-off and the
small evaporation. OF the topography.
Of the forest covered areas and, above
III, of the large storage reservoirs in
he form of natural lakes. is very ap-
parent in the discharge of the streams