Chautauqua Lake

Chautauqua Lake
View from Stow, New York towards Bemus Point
Location	Chautauqua County, New York
Coordinates	42°09′22″N 79°23′44″W / 42.15611°N 79.39556°W / 42.15611; -79.39556Coordinates: 42°09′22″N 79°23′44″W / 42.15611°N 79.39556°W / 42.15611; -79.39556
Lake type	Natural
Primary inflows	Big Inlet
Catchment area	180 sq mi (470 km2)
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	17 mi (27 km)
Max. width	2 mi (3.2 km)
Surface area	13,000 acres (5,300 ha)
Max. depth	78 ft (24 m)
Shore length1	41 mi (66 km)
Surface elevation	1,308 ft (399 m)
Settlements	Jamestown
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Chautauqua Lake is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The lake is approximately 17 miles (27 km) long and two miles (3.2 km) wide at its greatest width. The surface area is approximately 13,000 acres (53 km²). The maximum depth is about 78 feet (24 m). The shoreline is about 41.1 miles (66 km) of which all but 2.6 mi (4 km) are privately owned.

The lake's name comes from the now-extinct Erie language. Because the Erie people were defeated in the Beaver Wars before a comprehensive study of their language could be made, its meaning remains unknown and a source of speculation.

While the lake has a similar geologic structure (a very long, narrow valley) to the Finger Lakes in the east, it is not considered one of the Finger Lakes. Chautauqua Lake runs perpendicular to the westernmost of those lakes (much like an opposable thumb), lies in a different watershed, and was likely formed by a different process.

Chautauqua Lake, at an elevation of 1,308 feet (399 m) above sea level, is higher than any of the Finger Lakes. It is also one of the highest navigable lakes in North America.

The water from the lake drains to the south, emptying first into the Chadakoin River in Jamestown, New York before traveling east into the Conewango Creek. The creek flows south, entering the Allegheny River in Warren, Pennsylvania and the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, instead of moving north into the Great Lakes. The drainage area is about 180 square miles (470 km²).

At the southern end of the lake is the City of Jamestown while the Village of Mayville is located at the northern end. Other communities located on the lake are Bemus Point, Maple Springs, Lakewood, Celoron, and Chautauqua, the site of the influential Chautauqua Institution founded in 1874. There are many other settlements located on the lake, including Fluvanna, Greenhurst, Dewittville, Stow, and Ashville Bay.