Lake Waramaug

Lake Waramaug
Lake Waramaug, as seen from Lake Waramaug State Park
Coordinates	41°41′53″N 73°21′40″W / 41.698°N 73.361°W / 41.698; -73.361Coordinates: 41°41′53″N 73°21′40″W / 41.698°N 73.361°W / 41.698; -73.361
Type	lake
Primary inflows	Sucker Brook (Lake Waramaug Brook), groundwater
Primary outflows	East Aspetuck River
Surface area	656 acres (265 ha)

Lake Waramaug is a 656-acre (265 ha) lake occupying parts of the towns of Warren and Washington in Litchfield County, Connecticut, approximately 24 miles (39 km) north of Danbury. The lake is named after Chief Waramaug, who wintered in the area surrounding Lake Waramaug.

Although natural in origin, the surface elevation of the lake has been raised by a small concrete and masonry dam. The surface area of the lake is approximately 680 acres (2.8 km²). The lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet (12 m), an average depth of 22 feet (7 m), and contains approximately 4.8 billion US gallons (18,000,000 m³) of water. The lake is fed by Sucker Brook (Lake Waramaug Brook), numerous small streams, and groundwater that enters through the lake bottom. Drainage from Waramaug Lake flows southward into the East Aspetuck River. For a look at the water depths of Waramaug Lake, please see - The Water Depths of Waramaug Lake.

The bottom materials on steep side slopes of the lake consist primarily of gravel, cobbles, and boulders, whereas the flatter areas consist primarily of sand, mud, and organic muck. The watershed of the lake is 14.4 square miles (9,216 acres (37 km²)). Approximately 74 percent (6,820 acres (28 km²)) of the watershed is forested. Wetlands and water bodies comprise approximately 10 percent (922 acres (3.7 km²)) of the watershed, while the remaining 16 percent (1,474 acres (6 km²)) of the area is low-density residential housing and commercial and agricultural land. For a look at the water quality of Waramaug Lake, please see - The Water Quality of Waramaug Lake.

The shoreline development of Lake Waramaug is moderate and includes houses, seasonal cottages, and boat houses, with few commercial establishments. Public access to the lake is available only within Lake Waramaug State Park, which is located at the northwestern end of the lake. Outside park boundaries, the shoreline is privately owned . The park can be reached by taking Route 45 north from Route 202 and turning west onto North Shore Road.

An aquatic survey of Waramaug Lake was published in 1987. The survey found aquatic vegetation to be relatively sparse, with only localized growths of emergent and submergent species along the shorelines and shallows of the lake. Aquatic species observed include Robbins pondweed (Potamogeton robbinsii), coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), white-water lily (Nymphaea odorata), narrow-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria graminea), yellow-pond lily (Nuphar variegatum), spike rush (Eleocharis sp.), bushy pondweed (Najas flexilis), leafy pondweed (Potamogeton foliosus) and pondweed (Potamogeton gramineus).