Scopan Lake
Location of Scopan Lake in Maine, USA.
Location of Scopan Lake in Maine, USA.
Scopan Lake
Location of Scopan Lake in Maine, USA.
Location of Scopan Lake in Maine, USA.
Scopan Lake
LocationAroostook County, Maine
Coordinates46°30′29″N 68°13′32″W / 46.5081159°N 68.2256423°W / 46.5081159; -68.2256423[1]
Primary outflowsScopan Stream
Basin countriesUnited States
Max. length15 mi (24 km)[2]
Surface area4,986 acres (2,018 ha)[3]
Max. depth58 ft (18 m)[2]
Water volume110,286 acre⋅ft (136,036,000 m3)[3]
Surface elevation600 ft (180 m)[1]

Scopan Lake is a V-shaped lake in northern Maine. The lake was known as Squa Pan Lake by early European settlers, but was renamed in 2011 to eliminate what Native Americans in the United States interpreted as a racial slur.[4] The lake is mostly in Scopan township (formerly Squapan township), but the north end of the eastern arm of the "V" extends into Maine township 11, range 4; and the north end of the western arm extends into Masardis and Ashland. The lake discharges to Scopan Stream (formerly Squa Pan Stream) through a dam in Masardis. Scopan Stream flows into the Aroostook River 4 miles (6.4 km) downstream of the dam, and the Aroostook River is a tributary to the Saint John River. The Bangor and Aroostook Railroad crosses the northern tip of both arms of the lake.[5]

Recreation

The dam created the shallow western arm of the lake and increased the depth of the original lake forming the eastern arm. The lake is drawn down every winter to generate hydroelectric power. The dam prevents migration from downstream, but brook trout and rainbow smelt spawn in tributaries Nowland Brook, Bogan Brook, Aluson Brook, Dunn Brook, Cold Spring Brook, West Branch, and Scopan Inlet (formerly Squa Pan Inlet.) Boat launching facilities are available for public use at the dam and at the north end of the eastern arm 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Maine State Route 163.[2] The eastern shore of the eastern arm is a 16,700-acre (6,800 ha) reserve of public land available for fishing, hunting, birding and camping.[6]

Sources

  1. 1 2 "Scopan Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved Jan 16, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Squa Pan Lake" (PDF). Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Game. State of Maine. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  3. 1 2 Maine Depts. of Environmental Protection and Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (2005-08-04). "Maine Lakes: Morphometry and Geographic Information". Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research, The University of Maine. Archived from the original on 2006-09-03. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  4. ↑ Bayly, Julia (2011). "Six Aroostook County locations renamed to remove racial slurs". Bangor Daily News. BDN Maine (5 September).
  5. ↑ The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (Thirteenth ed.). Freeport, Maine: DeLorme Mapping Company. 1988. pp. 58&64. ISBN 0-89933-035-5.
  6. ↑ "Squapan Public Reserved Lands". Aroostook County Tourism. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
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