Harveys Lake (Pennsylvania)

Harveys Lake
Harvey Lake, Harvey's Lake
Harveys Lake from the south
Location	Harveys Lake, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	41°21′54″N 76°02′31″W / 41.365°N 76.042°W / 41.365; -76.042Coordinates: 41°21′54″N 76°02′31″W / 41.365°N 76.042°W / 41.365; -76.042
Type	glacial lake
Etymology	Named after Benjamin Harvey, its discoverer
Primary inflows	two unnamed streams, several springs
Primary outflows	Harveys Creek
Catchment area	~3600 acres
Basin countries	Luzerne County, Pennsylvania; Wyoming County, Pennsylvania
Max. length	15,640 feet (4,770 m)
Max. width	4,960 feet (1,510 m)
Surface area	621.5 acres
Average depth	36 feet (11 m)
Max. depth	102 feet (31 m)
Water volume	7.733 billion gallons
Residence time	1116 days
Shore length1	8.3 miles (13.4 km)
Surface elevation	1,253 feet (382 m)
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Harveys Lake (also known as Harvey Lake or Harvey's Lake) is a natural lake in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. It has a surface area of approximately 621.5 acres, or nearly a square mile. The lake is situated entirely within the borough of Harveys Lake. By volume, it is the largest natural lake in Pennsylvania, and by surface area, is the second-largest lake. It is a glacial lake surrounded by hills and is the source of Harveys Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River. The lake has a stone masonry dam. The lake's watershed has an area of approximately 3600 acres. The majority of the watershed is forested, but there is some developed land as well. Nearly all of the developed land is close to the lake itself, and the lake is surrounded entirely by a paved road.

Harveys Lake was affected by algae blooms from the mid-20th century onward, and these algae blooms were caused by pollution of nutrients, especially phosphorus. The lake was identified as impaired in 1994, with an annual phosphorus load of 1,019 pounds (462 kg). However, the phosphorus load has been reduced somewhat since then. The lake is listed on the Luzerne County Natural Areas Inventory. A number of rare or endangered plant species have been observed in its vicinity. Various species of fish inhabit the lake and a number of bird species have been observed in its vicinity.

Harveys Lake was accidentally discovered by Benjamin Harvey in 1781. The first settlers arrived at the lake in the 1790s and 1800s. Early industries in the area included lumbering and farming, but it became well known as a summer resort in the latter part of the 1800s and into the 1900s. It was also used as a water supply in the early 1900s. However, the lake began to develop significant environmental problems in the 1960s and a total maximum daily load was created for it in 1994. Since 1968, the lake has been located in the borough of Harveys Lake.

Harveys Lake is the largest natural lake in Pennsylvania by volume and the second-largest by surface area. It has a surface area of 621.5 acres and an average depth of 36 feet (11 meters), as well as a maximum depth of 102 feet (31 m). The lake's shoreline is 8.3 miles (13.4 km) long. By surface area, it was approximately twice its current size when it was first surveyed in the late 1700s.