Lake Pocotopaug, Connecticut

Census-designated place in Connecticut, United States

Lake Pocotopaug, Connecticut
Census-designated place
Lake Pocotopaug
Lake PocotopaugShow map of ConnecticutLake PocotopaugShow map of the United States
Coordinates: 41°35′54″N 72°30′37″W / 41.59833°N 72.51028°W / 41.59833; -72.51028
Country	United States
State	Connecticut
County	Middlesex
Town	East Hampton
Area
• Total	16.30 km (6.293 sq mi)
• Land	14.22 km (5.491 sq mi)
• Water	2.08 km (0.802 sq mi)
Elevation	140 m (470 ft)
Population
• Total	4,901
• Density	344.6/km (892.6/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	06424 (East Hampton)
Area codes	860/959
FIPS code	09-41410
GNIS feature ID	2377828

Lake Pocotopaug is an unincorporated village and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of East Hampton in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 4,901, up from 3,436 in 2010.

It is named for the large local lake, which for years has been a popular resort area. The lake is surrounded by numerous homes. Most are year-round residences, although some summer cottages dot the shore. It is especially noted for two islands in its center, separated by a narrow, shallow strait (both of which have cabins).

The lake

Lake Pocotopaug, at 512 acres (207 ha), is large, but many other lakes in Connecticut are larger. The largest by far, is Candlewood Lake at 5,064 acres (2,049 ha).

The lake's name reportedly comes from the local Wangunk Indian language for "Lake with Pierced Islands" or "Divided Pond". According to local legend, some time long before the area was settled by whites, the tribe living there felt they were being cursed by their irritable Great Spirit. To try to appease him, the main chief agreed to sacrifice his daughter, who willingly threw herself into the lake and drowned. The tribe's shamans announced that never again would an Indian be killed on the lake.

The Wangunk were also said to have hunted on Spellman's Point, now a quaint street lined with cottages, using loud noises to scare the animals to the end of the peninsula, and thereby an effective way to gather food. However, in the mid-to-late 1800s it was sold for a sack of beans to the "Bay point" society.

Sears Park is located at the lake and has various swimming, boating and recreational facilities for residents.

In recent years the lake has become a place of ecological study due to the large-scale algae blooms that started appearing in 2000. Tests have shown that increasing watershed land development and fertilizer use are causing issues. A town-sanctioned Lake Commission and the Friends of Lake Pocotopaug are two organizations concentrating on improvement ideas.

In late spring and summer 2020, a rehabilitation project began, focusing on pumping fresh air into the lake bottom at multiple sites around the lake. These were added throughout the lake in a stepwise process. Additionally, a "bioblast" treatment with favorable bacterial organisms was completed in early August 2020. Within a single season, water clarity increased and has been steadily improving. This successful intervention has interrupted nearly two decades of regular summer algae blooms, with no significant bloom occurring in 2020. Dramatic improvement in the lake's water quality has resulted. How long term this improvement will be sustained remains to be seen.

The lake has scattered rock hazards, including one marked by a small memorial lighthouse in its southeast portion. "Claudia's Light - 2006" is identified on the base. Although its light is currently nonfunctional, the lighthouse has undergone a restoration and repainting by good samaritans.

Geography

Lake Pocotopaug is in northeastern Middlesex County, in the northern part of the town of East Hampton. The Lake Pocotopaug CDP covers the lake and includes the surrounding highlands. It is bordered to the south by the village of East Hampton and to the west by Meshomasic State Forest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Lake Pocotopaug CDP has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16 km), of which 5.5 square miles (14 km) are land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km) (12.74%) are water. The lake drains to the south into the village of East Hampton and continues down Pocotopaug Creek and Pine Brook into the Salmon River, a tributary of the Connecticut River.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,169 people, 1,347 households, and 844 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 456.6/km (1,183.9/mi). There were 1,532 housing units at an average density of 220.7/km (572.3/mi). The racial makeup of the CDP was 96.81% White, 0.95% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.01% of the population.

There were 1,347 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 35.1% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $58,325, and the median income for a family was $71,667. Males had a median income of $51,440 versus $37,891 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $28,317. About 3.2% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

References

^ "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Connecticut". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
^ "Lake Pocotopaug Census Designated Place". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
^ "P1. Race – Lake Pocotopaug CDP, Connecticut: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
"P1. Race – Pocotopaug CDP, Connecticut: 2010 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
"Connecticut Lakes…Sizes and Information". ctwaterfrontlife.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2012.
Price, Carl F. "Yankee Township". East Hampton, Conn.: Citizens' Welfare Club, 1941. 9.
"U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.

External links

Lake Pocotopaug at Chatham Historical Society website

v t e Municipalities and communities of Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States
County seat: Middletown
City	Middletown
Towns	Chester Clinton Cromwell Deep River Durham East Haddam East Hampton Essex Haddam Killingworth Middlefield Old Saybrook Portland Westbrook
Borough	Fenwick
CDPs	Chester Center Clinton Deep River Center Durham East Hampton Essex Village Higganum Lake Pocotopaug Moodus Old Saybrook Center Portland Saybrook Manor Westbrook Center
Other communities	Centerbrook Hidden Lake Ivoryton Leesville Middle Haddam Millington
Connecticut portal United States portal

Connecticut River watershed

Tributaries

Connecticut	Blackledge River Coginchaug River Connecticut River Duck River Eightmile River Falls River Farmington River Hockanum River Hubbard River Jeremy River Lieutenant River Mattabesset River Nepaug River Pameacha Creek Park River Pequabuck River Salmon River Scantic River
Massachusetts	Burnshirt River Chapel Brook Chicopee River Connecticut River Cranberry River Deerfield River East Brookfield River Farmington River Fall River Five Mile River Green River Hubbard River Manhan River Mill River (Northampton) Mill River (Springfield) Millers River Mirey Brook North Branch Millers River North Branch Westfield River North River Otter River Quaboag River Scantic River Seven Mile River Tarbell Brook Ware River Westfield River
New Hampshire	Ammonoosuc River Ashuelot River Blow-me-down Brook The Branch Cold River Connecticut River East Branch Mohawk River Gale River Great Brook Halls Stream Ham Branch Indian River Indian Stream Israel River Johns River Knox River Little River Little Sugar River Mascoma River Millers River Mink Brook Mirey Brook Mohawk River Nash Stream North Branch Gale River North Branch Millers River North Branch Sugar River North Branch Upper Ammonoosuc River Oliverian Brook Otter Brook Partridge Brook Perry Stream Phillips Brook Simms Stream South Branch Ashuelot River South Branch Gale River South Branch Israel River South Branch Sugar River Stocker Brook Sugar River Tarbell Brook Upper Ammonoosuc River West Branch Mohawk River West Branch Upper Ammonoosuc River Wild Ammonoosuc River Zealand River
Vermont	Black River Connecticut River Deerfield River Fall River Green River Halls Stream Leach Creek Moose River Nulhegan River Ompompanoosuc River Ottauquechee River Passumpsic River Rock River Saxtons River Utley Brook Waits River Wells River West River Whetstone Brook White River Williams River Winhall River

Lakes

Connecticut	Barkhamsted Reservoir Lake Beseck Lake Hayward Lake Pocotopaug
Massachusetts	Brooks Pond Browning Pond Lake Monomonac Quabbin Reservoir Lake Wyola
New Hampshire	Ashuelot Pond Back Lake Canaan Street Lake Cedar Pond Christine Lake Comerford Reservoir Connecticut Lakes Crystal Lake Dublin Pond Eastman Pond Echo Lake Lake Francis (Murphy Dam) Goose Pond Grafton Pond Granite Lake Lakes of the Clouds Little Sunapee Lake Mascoma Lake McIndoes Reservoir Lake Monomonac Moore Reservoir Pearly Lake Silver Lake Spofford Lake Lake Sunapee Surry Mountain Lake Lake Tarleton
Vermont	Ball Mountain Lake Comerford Reservoir Harriman Reservoir Harvey's Lake McIndoes Reservoir Moore Reservoir North Hartland Lake Lake Rescue Townshend Lake

Towns

Connecticut	Chester Cromwell Deep River East Haddam East Hampton East Hartford East Windsor Enfield Essex Glastonbury Haddam Hartford Higganum Lyme Middletown Moodus Old Lyme Old Saybrook Portland Rocky Hill South Windsor Suffield Thompsonville Wethersfield Windsor Windsor Locks
Massachusetts	Agawam Chicopee Deerfield Easthampton Gill Greenfield Hadley Hatfield Holyoke Longmeadow Millers Falls Montague Northampton Northfield South Hadley Springfield Sunderland Turners Falls West Springfield Whately
New Hampshire	Bath Charlestown Chesterfield Claremont Clarksville Colebrook Columbia Cornish Dalton Groveton Hanover Haverhill Hinsdale Lancaster Lebanon Littleton Lyme Monroe Northumberland Orford Piermont Pittsburg Plainfield Stewartstown Stratford Walpole West Lebanon Westmoreland Woodsville
Quebec	East Hereford
Vermont	Ascutney Barnet Beecher Falls Bellows Falls Bloomfield Bradford Brattleboro Brunswick Canaan Concord Dummerston Fairlee Gilman Guildhall Hartford Hartland Lemington Lunenburg Maidstone Newbury Norwich Putney Rockingham Ryegate Springfield Thetford Vernon Waterford Weathersfield Wells River Westminster White River Junction Wilder Windsor

Crossings

Lakes and ponds of Connecticut by drainage system

Lakes

Byram River Watershed	Converse Lake
Connecticut River Watershed	Lake Beseck Lake Hayward Lake Pocotopaug Shenipsit Lake
Farm River Watershed	Lake Saltonstall
Hammonasset River Watershed	Deer Lake
Housatonic River Watershed	Bantam Lake Candlewood Lake Crystal Lake Highland Lake Hop Brook Lake Lake Quassapaug Lake Waramaug Lake Zoar Twin Lakes
Pequonnock River Watershed	Great Hollow Lake Pinewood Lake Success Lake
Quinnipiac River Watershed	Lake Whitney
Thames River Watershed	Ashford Lake Gardner Lake Lake Chaffee Mansfield Hollow Lake Mashapaug Lake West Thompson Lake
Others	Lake Gaillard Lake Lillinonah Squantz Pond Tuxis Pond

Ponds

Connecticut River Watershed	Millers Pond
Housatonic River Watershed	Burr Pond
Thames River Watershed	Killingly Pond
Others	Round Pond

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