Ball Pond

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Ball Pond
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Ball Pond, 2007
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Ball Pond
Location New Fairfield, Connecticut
Coordinates 41°27′49″N73°31′26″W / 41.46361°N 73.52389°W / 41.46361; -73.52389 Coordinates: 41°27′49″N73°31′26″W / 41.46361°N 73.52389°W / 41.46361; -73.52389
Surface area83 acres (34 ha)
Average depth7 meters (23 ft) [1]
Max. depth16 meters (52 ft) [1]
Water volume2,150,000 cubic metres (76,000,000 cu ft) [1]
Ball Pond
Interactive map of Ball Pond

Ball Pond is an 83-acre lake located in New Fairfield, Connecticut. [2] It is the namesake of the CDP of the same name.

Ball Pond is a glacial kettle lake naturally filled by groundwater springs and surface water runoff. [2] It is located within the drainage basin of the Housatonic River and has a watershed of 246 acres (100 ha). The watershed mostly contains residential developments with septic-sewage systems, which load the lake with nitrogen and phosphorus. [1] The pond has one outflow, Ball Pond Brook, which itself drains into Candlewood Lake. [3]

The lake was originally named Lake Hahlawah after a local medicine man. [4] The Hahlawah Preserve is three parcels of protected forestland near Ball Pond. [5]

Ecology

Ball Pond is stocked with brown trout and rainbow trout by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Other species found include bass, panfish, bullhead, bluegill, and small populations of white perch and yellow perch. [6]

In 1997, populations of grass carp were introduced as a biocontrol for invasive Eurasian water milfoil. By 2011, the control was determined to be a successful as the native coontail became the dominant aquatic species. [6] [1] Other aquatic plants found in the lake include Elodea nuttallii and Najas guadalupensis . [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 June-Wells, Mark; Simpkins, Timothy; Coleman, A. Michael; Henley, William; Jacobs, Robert; Aarrestad, Peter; Buck, George; Stevens, Cynthia; Benson, George (2 January 2017). "Seventeen years of grass carp: an examination of vegetation management and collateral impacts in Ball Pond, New Fairfield, Connecticut". Lake and Reservoir Management. 33 (1): 84–100. doi:10.1080/10402381.2017.1284966.
  2. 1 2 "Ball Pond-New Fairfield". fishingnortheast.net. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  3. "Ball Pond Advisory Committee | New Fairfield, CT". www.newfairfield.org. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  4. "Town history finds homes". NewsTimes. 10 July 2006. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  5. "Hahlawah Preserve – Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust". candlewoodvalleyrlt.org. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Fishing on Ball Pond | New Fairfield, CT". www.newfairfield.org. Retrieved 21 September 2022.